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Authenticity isn't just a buzzword—it's the lifeblood of successful organizations. In this illuminating conversation with Rachel Platt, CEO of Platinum HR Consulting, we dive deep into how company culture directly impacts your bottom line and why the alignment between what you say and what you do matters more than ever.

Rachel unveils the costly consequences of cultural disconnects: when your external messaging doesn't match your internal reality, employees sense it immediately, leading to eroded trust, disengagement, and ultimately, higher turnover. "The employee experience is your brand," Rachel emphasizes, "and the entire ecosystem suffers when you're not walking the walk."

One particularly thought-provoking segment explores why the common "we're one big family" corporate messaging can actually backfire. This well-intentioned phrase often blurs professional boundaries and carries manipulative undertones. Rachel offers refreshing alternatives like "purpose-driven team" or "high-trust, people-first organization" that communicate connection without the problematic baggage.

Perhaps most practically, Rachel shares her three-part formula for creating authentic workplace cultures: build genuine personal connections with staff beyond task discussions, regularly solicit employee feedback through surveys, and integrate HR with marketing and sales planning to ensure brand consistency inside and out. As she powerfully states, "Your vibe attracts your tribe"—when you're honest about who you are as an organization, you naturally attract people who will thrive in your environment.

Whether you're struggling with retention issues, disengagement, or simply want to strengthen your organization's foundation, this episode delivers actionable insights to help you create a workplace where words and actions align. Subscribe now and join us on this journey toward authentic leadership!

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Ever witnessed the classic battle between sales and marketing teams? "They're sending us garbage leads!" versus "They can't close what we're giving them!" This fundamental conflict has existed since the dawn of business itself, but it doesn't have to plague your organization.

In this enlightening episode, EOS Implementer James Wisdom joins hosts Craig Andrews and Evan Polin to reveal how the Entrepreneurial Operating System transforms business alignment. With over two decades of experience leading Fortune 100 marketing teams and running his own agency, James brings practical wisdom to the perpetual sales-marketing divide.

The heart of the problem often starts at the top. As James explains, "If the visionary or CEO can't communicate clearly what's in their head, what it feels like to be on that team is that it's inconsistent." Too many leaders keep their vision locked away, expecting teams to execute what they can't see or understand. Through the EOS framework of vision, traction, and healthy team dynamics, James shows how getting everyone on the same page creates powerful momentum.

We explore the critical components of alignment: defining your true target market, identifying your organization's genuine differentiators, establishing metrics that matter, and creating processes that make breakdowns immediately visible. The conversation delivers tactical approaches for bridging departmental divides while building a cohesive leadership team.

Perhaps most surprising is James's assertion that "process is sexy" – not because of rigid structure, but because strong systems create the space for creativity and opportunistic thinking. When your foundational processes run smoothly, your organization gains the freedom to innovate and take calculated risks.

Whether you're struggling with internal alignment or simply want to break through your current business ceiling, this episode delivers actionable strategies to transform your leadership approach. Subscribe, share, and implement these principles to watch your organization reach unprecedented levels of success.

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What happens when a C-suite executive asks the marketing team about bottom-line impact and is met with blank stares? For Mike Strata, that uncomfortable moment became the catalyst for creating Galileo, a revolutionary marketing analytics platform that's exposing the massive blind spots in how businesses measure marketing effectiveness.

You're about to discover why the metrics you've trusted for years might be leading you astray. Mike reveals how one company was unknowingly losing 40 cents on every dollar spent on their seemingly "best-performing" marketing channel while a neglected channel was quietly generating 4.5x returns. This isn't an isolated case – Mike consistently finds companies can achieve at least 30% improvement with no additional spending simply by correcting these hidden inefficiencies.

The conversation challenges fundamental assumptions about marketing accountability. For decades, marketers have hidden behind vanity metrics like impressions and click-through rates without connecting these activities to actual revenue generation. Galileo changes this by tracking every touchpoint along the customer journey and revealing which combinations of tactics actually drive sales, not just traffic.

This episode isn't just for marketers – it's essential listening for business leaders who want to transform marketing from a cost center to a strategic driver of profitable growth. You'll learn why the traditional silos between sales and marketing are crumbling as both disciplines become increasingly data-driven and accountable for measurable results. As Mike notes, "The marketers of tomorrow are going to be data-first, open-minded learners who constantly challenge the status quo."

Ready to uncover the blind spots in your marketing strategy? Listen now to discover how data-driven accountability could revolutionize your approach to growth. Then share your thoughts with us on social media – we'd love to hear how you're measuring marketing impact in your organization!

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Are you struggling to connect with potential clients? The answer might be hiding in your understanding of customer personas. In this illuminating episode, sales coach Evan Polin and marketing expert Craig Andrews reveal how developing detailed customer personas can transform your sales approach from scattershot to laser-focused.

"Personas are only important for salespeople and companies that want to close sales," declares Evan, setting the tone for a conversation brimming with practical wisdom. This isn't just theory – it's battle-tested advice from professionals with decades of experience. They reveal how to identify your ideal prospects by analyzing past successful clients, understanding what made those relationships work, and finding more opportunities with similar characteristics.

The conversation takes a fascinating turn when Evan introduces the 70-30 rule – the prospect should speak 70% of the time while you speak just 30%. This simple principle unlocks the power of active listening, allowing salespeople to identify pain points and determine qualification. "If you are talking, you are not learning anything about what your prospects' issues are," Evan emphasizes, highlighting how excessive talking prevents discovering whether you can actually help them.

Perhaps most importantly, Evan and Craig stress the critical alignment between sales and marketing. When your messaging is inconsistent, you confuse potential clients and damage credibility. Their three key takeaways provide a roadmap for success: develop clear personas, do your homework before meetings, and ensure sales and marketing are telling the same story. Whether you're new to sales or looking to refine your approach, this episode delivers actionable insights that will help you close more deals with less wasted effort. Subscribe now to transform your sales strategy!

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Have you ever felt like your marketing dollars are disappearing into thin air? Or wondered why your sales team struggles to convert seemingly good leads? The answer might lie in how well you understand who you're actually selling to.

In this enlightening episode, Craig Andrews and Evan Polin tackle the often misunderstood concept of customer personas and why they're fundamental to business success. As Evan aptly puts it, "If you don't know what a good prospect looks like, you're never going to find them." They reveal how properly defined personas serve as your business compass, guiding every marketing decision and sales conversation toward greater profitability.

The hosts share practical strategies for developing detailed personas, from conducting client interviews and analyzing historical data to exploring psychographic elements like communication preferences and lifestyle choices. Their baseball analogy brilliantly illustrates the problem many businesses face: being a pitcher with twenty catchers behind the plate means you might eventually hit one, but that's not an efficient strategy. Instead, they show how focusing on specific, profitable personas creates that "sweet spot" where marketing and sales align perfectly.

Craig and Evan don't just theorize—they provide real-world examples from their own businesses. Evan explains how he markets differently to attorneys versus commission-based salespeople, while Craig shares insights about targeting home service professionals. Their examples demonstrate that effective personas go far beyond basic demographics to include how prospects think, where they spend time, and what language resonates with them.

Whether you're struggling with unfocused marketing efforts or frustrated by low conversion rates, this episode offers concrete steps to transform your approach. Listen now to discover how well-crafted customer personas can turn your business from throwing "spaghetti at the wall" to precisely targeting the prospects who will become your most profitable clients.

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What if everything you thought about your ideal customer was wrong? In this eye-opening conversation with Kevin O'Connor, Vice President of Strategic Coaching and Consulting for Align5 and scaling up business coach, we uncover the crucial difference between high-revenue customers and truly profitable core customers that can transform your entire business strategy.

Kevin challenges conventional thinking by defining core customers as those who not only generate maximum profit but are also genuinely passionate about your product or service. This distinction proves revolutionary for businesses struggling to grow efficiently. "Revenue is vanity, profit is sanity, and cash is monarch," Kevin explains, highlighting why chasing revenue alone can lead businesses astray.

The episode takes a fascinating turn when Kevin discusses applying "Moneyball" principles to business metrics. Just as the Oakland A's discovered that traditional baseball statistics weren't predictive of wins, your business may be focusing on the wrong indicators of success. Through compelling examples from his experience with call centers, Kevin demonstrates how conventional wisdom about quality scores completely inverted reality—the centers with the highest internal quality scores actually had the worst customer retention.

Perhaps most valuable are Kevin's actionable takeaways: calculate customer-level profitability, correlate your KPIs with actual outcomes, and align sales and marketing based on real customer feedback and data. For entrepreneurs looking toward an eventual exit, implementing these systems can dramatically increase business valuation, potentially transforming standard industry multiples of 3-5× into premium valuations of 10-15×.

Ready to revolutionize how you identify, serve, and profit from your core customers? Listen now and discover the data-driven approach that might just transform your business growth trajectory forever.

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The trade show is over. You've collected business cards, scanned badges, and had promising conversations. Now what? In this final installment of our trade show trilogy, Evan Polin and Craig Andrews reveal the most critical—and most commonly neglected—phase of trade show strategy: the post-show follow-up.

We begin with the clear signs of on-floor success that should set you up for effective follow-up. From high booth traffic and qualified leads to social media buzz and positive brand recognition, these indicators help you prioritize your post-show efforts. But here's the shocking truth: the biggest mistake companies make after investing thousands in trade shows is failing to follow up promptly, effectively turning warm leads into cold calls.

The secret to post-show success? Plan your follow-up strategy before you even attend. Block dedicated time in your calendar for the days immediately following the event, prioritize your leads based on conversation quality, and personalize every follow-up. Generic "thanks for stopping by our booth" emails scream insincerity—especially when sent to people who never visited you.

We explore the critical collaboration between sales and marketing teams after the show, sharing strategies for maintaining prospect engagement through targeted content, social media, and even the increasingly rare but effective handwritten note. Learn how to calculate your true ROI beyond immediate sales, understanding that a single significant client from a trade show might justify years of attendance costs.

Don't leave your runners stranded on base—this episode gives you everything you need to knock your trade show investment out of the park. Whether you're in sales or marketing, you'll walk away with actionable strategies to transform trade show expenses into powerful drivers of business growth.

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Breaking into new markets demands more than just cold calling and digital prospecting—it requires strategic relationship building. In this episode, we dive deep with Brendan Dodge, networking extraordinaire from VC3, who reveals exactly how he successfully entered the Philadelphia/New Jersey marketplace by leveraging his existing connections.

Brendan shares the game-changing mindset shift that transformed his networking approach: switching from "what's in it for me" to "how can I help you?" This giving-first philosophy created a foundation for meaningful relationships that naturally evolved into business opportunities. He explains his tactical approach to categorizing contacts into previous clients and centers of influence (COIs), with specific strategies for engaging each group effectively.

The conversation reveals practical time-saving methods, including Brendan's 30-minute virtual screening calls that qualify potential connections before committing to longer in-person meetings. You'll learn why being specific about your target industries dramatically increases quality referrals, and how tracking the ratio of introductions you make versus those you receive creates predictable networking outcomes.

Most compelling is Brendan's three-part formula for networking success: join strategic professional groups that allow for cross-pollination of connections, adopt a giving mindset in every interaction, and make only worthwhile introductions that genuinely benefit both parties. These principles apply whether you're an established professional entering a new territory or a company expanding into unfamiliar markets.

Ready to transform your approach to market expansion? Listen now for actionable strategies that will revolutionize how you build relationships and generate opportunities in new territories. Your network truly is your net worth—discover how to maximize it today!