Episode 1266: Build an Onboarding Engine That Prevents Churn with Apryl Syed

If you’re adopting AI quickly but revenue isn’t increasing, the issue might not be your tools; it may be your roadmap. In this episode of Sharkpreneur, Seth Greene interviews Apryl Syed, CEO of ApetureCodex, who led three product lines at Sage and later worked on conversion strategies with enterprise brands through Bloomreach, including clients like Staples, Gap, Neiman Marcus, and Williams-Sonoma. She explains how to build an AI-enabled growth roadmap that combines people and automation, enhances the customer journey from “trial to wow,” and delivers measurable revenue growth without copying what everyone else is doing. Key Takeaways:→ Using the same AI as everyone else produces the same results.→ Some team members excel in rapid change, while others find it challenging. → Identifying where customers reach the “wow” moment helps you eliminate friction in the user journey. → After refining the product journey, improve ad targeting, then optimize landing pages and message-match. → Higher leader volume doesn’t matter if the process and onboarding can’t convert and retain the right customers.  Apryl Syed is the CEO of ApertureCodex, a growth and innovation consultancy based in the San Francisco Bay Area. As founder, she helps technical founders see their businesses from multiple perspectives—enhancing sales, marketing, customer success, fundraising, and leadership—so they can bridge the gap between technical skills and business knowledge and grow sustainably. Previously at Sage, Apryl managed three product lines with full P&L responsibility, including sales, support, customer success, marketing, product direction, and development, and led the NPS program across Sage North America. She later led Marketing and Customer Success at Blytheco (Sage’s largest U.S. partner), launched the Bellwether business magazine, developed sales onboarding, and coached teams to close million-dollar deals for manufacturers and distributors. At Bloomreach, she collaborated with enterprise brands like Staples, Neiman Marcus, and Gap to improve digital commerce performance. She also publishes Think Like a CEO and The Founder’s Edge. Connect With Apryl:Website: https://www.apeturecodex.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aprylsyedcoach/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprylsyed/ 

If buyers don’t care about your product story, how do you meet them where they are and still drive revenue growth? In this episode of Sharkpreneur, Seth Greene interviews Brent Keltner, Ph.D., Founder and President of Winalytics LLC, who leverages his experience leading marketing and sales teams and achieving multiple growth results to explain why most go-to-market efforts fail: they begin with the seller, not the buyer. He explains how to establish a “journey-first” approach that allows buying committees to self-educate, aligns internal teams around a shared value proposition, and turns discovery into the engine that drives real revenue growth. Key Takeaways:→ Most teams talk about themselves first, but buyers care more about what is in it for them.→ A strong value proposition starts with the outcome the buyer wants.→ The best value propositions connect product value, business value, and enterprise value. → Buyers prefer to educate themselves, so companies should give them clear ways to learn at their own pace. → Discovery should be a major part of the sales process because it helps build support across the buying committee.  Brent Keltner, Ph.D., is President of Winalytics LLC and the creator of Winalytics’ Journey First Growth methodology. Winalytics helps mid-market and enterprise clients accelerate account-based B2B growth. The team has expertise in various industries, including education, human capital, healthcare, and SaaS. Before starting Winalytics, Brent expanded growth as a revenue leader at four different companies. He began his career as a Ph.D. social scientist at Stanford University and the RAND Corporation. His first book was the Revenue Acceleration Playbook. He has published articles on marketing and sales strategy in MarketingProfs, CEOWorld, the Sloan Management Review, the California Management Review, and Sales and Marketing Magazine. Connect With Brent:Website: http://winalytics.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/winalytics-llc/

Many businesses obsess over getting more leads, but the real growth happens in what you do after the click. In this episode of Sharkpreneur, Seth Greene interviews Michael Elliot, Founder of Adtrain, who discusses how he built a seven-figure PPC agency starting with just $3,000 in the bank and no safety net. Drawing from his experience with depression, high-risk entrepreneurship, and rapid agency growth, Michael explains what most businesses get wrong about paid traffic, lead follow-up, and data attribution. This episode provides a candid look at how conversion rate optimization, automation, and honest operational discipline turn ad spend into real, scalable revenue. Key Takeaways:→ The greatest ROI improvements usually occur after the click, not from attracting more traffic. → Broken attribution and dirty data result in expensive, misleading decisions.→ Quick lead responses greatly boost conversion rates.→ Automation is most effective when it first addresses key business processes. → AI tools are only useful when connected to fundamentals, not just shiny objects. Michael Elliott is an expert in turning paid media and AI into systems that deliver predictable revenue. With 14 years of experience, he’s renowned for transforming messy ad accounts, vague funnels, and operational bottlenecks into clean, scalable engines that founders can rely on. A Google Premier Partner and top 1% Upwork freelancer, Michael has managed £1.5M/month in ad spend, generated £67M+ in client revenue, and built multiple seven-figure businesses across advertising, AI automation, and the holiday-home industry. Michael’s AI-driven systems have helped companies generate 600–800 leads per month with just one salesperson, leveraging workflows that streamline operations and accelerate response time. His approach focuses on adopting AI in ways that directly impact profit, such as improving qualification, routing, and follow-up—rather than getting distracted by flashy tools. Michael leaves audiences with actionable steps to apply immediately, helping them maximize their ROI. Connect With Michael:Website: https://adtrain.co.uk/ 

What if the book you’ve been putting off is already hidden inside the conversations you’ve recorded? In this episode of Sharkpreneur, Seth Greene interviews Sheila Slick, founder of Five Milestones and creator of the PodToBook.ai platform, who shares how entrepreneurs, podcasters, and experts can become published authors without starting from a blank page. Drawing on her background as a software developer and business consultant, Sheila outlines her five-step process for transforming audio content into polished, AI-assisted books that build authority, drive ROI, and preserve legacy. With more than 80 experts already guided from raw conversations to published works, this episode reveals a faster, smarter path to turning content into a tangible business asset. Key Takeaways:→ If you record podcasts, webinars, or calls, you already have the raw material for a book. → Audio content eliminates the biggest friction point in writing: the blank page. → AI-assisted publishing works best when paired with human editing and revision.→ Repurposing content can reduce book creation from months to days. → Publishing a book can drive ROI through authority, speaking engagements, and client acquisition.  Sheila Slick, MS, is the Founder of Five Milestones and creator of PodToBook.ai, an AI-powered platform that transforms podcast episodes into professionally structured book manuscripts in 2-3 hours. Since launching, she's helped publish 80+ authors and is a two-time Amazon bestselling author, having authored "Momentum: Daily Practices to Build Your Business & Thrive" and co-authored five books. As Past Chair of SCORE Volusia Flagler County, she mentored over 1,000 small business owners. With over 25 years of entrepreneurial experience and a Master's in Leadership, Sheila provides strategic business consulting and publishing services while hosting the "Milestone Moments in Business and Leadership" podcast. Connect With Sheila:Website: https://fivemilestones.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheilaslick/ 

High performers are taught to push harder, but what if the real breakthrough comes from learning to regulate, recover, and reconnect? In this episode of Sharkpreneur, Seth Greene interviews Owen Marcus, Founder and CEO of MELD (Men’s Emotional Leadership Development) and author of Grow Up: A Man’s Guide to Emotional Maturity. Owen unpacks why high-performing entrepreneurs often hit an invisible ceiling despite doing “everything right.” Drawing on five decades of experience working with leaders, athletes, and elite performers, Owen explains how chronic stress, emotional disconnection, and nervous system overload quietly erode performance, relationships, and fulfillment. This conversation bridges neuroscience, leadership, and personal growth to reveal how building resilience from the body up unlocks the final 30% of untapped potential. Key Takeaways:→ Entrepreneurs are often wired for survival, not fulfillment, which leads to chronic overdrive.→ Long-term stress creates allostatic load, silently shrinking resilience and emotional capacity. → High performance at work does not automatically translate into a healthy connection at home. → Neuroplasticity allows leaders to rewire stress patterns and build new capacity over time. → Somatic mindfulness helps retrain the nervous system by increasing body awareness. Owen Marcus is the Founder and CEO of MELD (Men’s Emotional Leadership Development), demonstrating the transformative potential of evidence-based peer support. A pioneer in men’s emotional health, his retreats, workshops, coaching, training, and other programs enhance relational dynamics and support men’s personal and professional growth and leadership development. For nearly three decades, MELD has been a trusted guide for men navigating the complex terrain of modern life: stress, relationships, leadership, and identity. Marcus is also the author of Grow Up: A Man’s Guide to Emotional Maturity. In it, Marcus leads readers on an enlightening path toward the authentic self, revealing how men need clarity, purpose, connection, and the support of other men to thrive. A founding member of the United States Association for Body Psychotherapy (USABP) and a member of Division 51 of the American Psychological Association, Marcus integrates neuroscience, Polyvagal Theory, and somatic mindfulness to help individuals and groups cultivate emotional intelligence and authentic leadership. Connect With Owen:Website: https://meld.community/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meld.men/X: https://x.com/meldmenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/meldmenLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/meldmenscommunity/ 

If your team is frustrated, your culture is drifting, and change feels exhausting, this conversation will reset your leadership. In this episode of Sharkpreneur, Seth Greene interviews Scott Burgmeyer, Founder and CEO of BecomeMore Group, who shares how he helps 300–500-employee organizations grow through leadership development, strategy, and change management. He’s the author of Chief Optimization Officer (2020) and Think: The Road Less Traveled (May 2025), and he co-hosts the Leadership Line podcast, released weekly. Scott explains how authentic leadership, truth-telling, and doing improvement with people (not to them) can reduce turnover, strengthen culture, and create measurable business impact. Key Takeaways:→ Regulatory disruption can be ignored, resisted, or accepted, but the winners redesign the org and equip leaders for the new reality. → Scaling works best when repeatable systems are built without neglecting the human side that drives adoption and retention. → Authentic leadership is relational, not social. → Leaders often “know” the issues but need an outside voice to cut through the sugarcoating and call out what’s really happening. → You can’t lead today’s workforce with yesterday’s assumptions. Frustration often stems from resisting reality rather than adapting your leadership approach.  Scott Burgmeyer is the Founder and CEO of BecomeMore Group, a company that reflects his journey of growth and transformation. His early career followed a traditional path, with successful roles in corporate environments. However, after achieving a significant corporate opportunity, Scott realized his comfort zone had shrunk, while the organization seemed content with his performance. Seeking more, he founded Creative Solutions Group in 2010, driven by relentless curiosity and a desire for growth.In 2018, Scott focused his efforts full-time on Creative Solutions Group and shortly thereafter co-authored his first of four books. The company continued to expand, culminating in a corporate acquisition with his partner Tammy in 2021 and the release of their fifth book. In 2023, Scott and Tammy formalized their merger, rebranding as BecomeMore Group to reflect their commitment to continuous personal and professional growth. Connect With Scott:Website: https://www.becomemoregp.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/becomemoregp/X: https://x.com/BecomeMoreGrouphttps://x.com/scottburgmeyerFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576980455975LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/becomemoregp/https://www.linkedin.com/company/becomemoregp/ 

In an AI-driven world, SEO is evolving, but is traditional SEO still effective? Discover how Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is changing the digital landscape. In this episode of Sharkpreneur, Seth Greene interviews Damon Burton, Founder and President of SEO National, who discusses the future of SEO in an AI-dominated world. As AI tools like ChatGPT take over search queries, Damon explains how businesses can leverage these tools while staying true to the tried-and-true SEO strategies that have worked for decades. From the basics of SEO to advanced Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), Damon offers expert insights into how businesses can thrive in this new digital era. Key Takeaways:→ AI is reshaping SEO, but it’s still vital to focus on the same core elements. → Despite the rise of AI, foundational SEO, like website structure and content strategy, remains essential. → Google’s dominance in search engines is still substantial, and businesses should not panic. → Understanding the intent behind search queries is vital for both traditional SEO and AI-powered platforms. → AI offers small businesses a unique opportunity to compete against larger players with the right SEO strategy and content.  Damon Burton is the founder of SEO National, a search engine marketing agency he launched in 2007 after famously outranking a billion-dollar company on Google. Since then, he has built an international team that’s helped clients like Tony Robbins, Russell Brunson, NBA teams, and Inc. 5000 and Shark Tank–featured companies make more in a month than they used to in a year. A best-selling author, Damon literally wrote the book on SEO—Outrank, a practical guide that shows businesses how to dominate Google without paying for ads. Featured in Entrepreneur, Forbes, BuzzFeed, and USA Weekly, he’s known for making complex SEO strategies easy to understand and implement. A husband and father of three, Damon also speaks on leading remote teams and building a family-first culture while scaling a high-performance digital business. Connect With Damon:Website: http://damonburton.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneurdamon/X: https://x.com/EntrepreneurDBFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/damon.burtonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damonburton/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@damon-burton 

Most business owners don’t realize they’re building an exit they can’t afford. In this episode of Sharkpreneur, Seth Greene interviews Marc Adams, Strategy Mentor & Business Exit Planner at Acquisitions4You, who shares how his work has helped provide $22B in funding support and why he now focuses on helping founders double business value in 12 months or less. After a stage-four cancer diagnosis during the pandemic and a life-changing conversation with his son, Marc pivoted his mission toward helping the “nine out of ten” owners who never get the outcome they need. He explains the Double and Keep It framework, designed to grow value fast while protecting owners from the usual traps of dilution, debt burdens, and painful exit costs. Key Takeaways:→ Most business owners don’t get the value they expect when it’s time to sell.→ Exit-math can be brutal, especially in states with high taxes. → Traditional private equity doesn’t solve the real problem. → The “double and keep it” framework aims to achieve value growth without dilution or debt service.  → This framework is meant to create a real retirement-grade exit.  Marc Adams is a strategy mentor and business-exit planner who helps founder-led companies double enterprise value in 12–24 months and structure tax-efficient exits without heavy dilution or personal guarantees. He’s helped take a company from roughly $140M to a $1B valuation and led a loss-making $18M-revenue business to a $140M exit. A bestselling author with Times Square features, Marc works closely with family offices and private capital, providing founders with a practical, buyer-aligned playbook for value creation, clean diligence, and better after-tax outcomes. Connect With Marc:Website: https://acquisitions4you.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/1marcadams/ 

Your benefits plan may be getting more expensive for reasons unrelated to better care. In this episode of Sharkpreneur, Seth Greene interviews Chris Hamilton, Partner at Hotchkiss Insurance and a healthcare industry expert, who explains why employer health costs keep skyrocketing. He breaks down how misaligned incentives in traditional plans drive inflation and why mid-market employers often have far more control than they realize. You’ll hear practical, modern strategies such as self-funding, direct agreements, and transparency tools that can improve coverage while reducing total costs for both companies and employees. Key Takeaways:→ Traditional compensation structures can incentivize higher premiums rather than better outcomes for employers and employees.→ When insurers own PBMs and other components, pricing can become a circular profit engine that justifies ongoing rate hikes. → If you reduce the underlying cost of care, the premium required to fund the plan naturally drops.→ The same procedure can vary dramatically in price across facilities, with no reliable correlation to quality. → Employers can contract directly with hospitals and concierge physicians to simplify access, improve care, and reduce both company and employee financial burdens.  Chris Hamilton is a Partner at Hotchkiss Insurance in Texas, where he leads the employee benefits consulting practice. He specializes in managing healthcare and insurance costs to improve benefits coverage, reduce expenses, and enhance employee health outcomes. With over a decade of experience in corporate finance, Chris has advised clients across various industries, including private equity and oil & gas. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, working out, attending live music events, and spending time with family. Connect With Chris:Website: https://hotchkissinsurance.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@chrishamiltonbenefitsinsiderLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chamilton/ 

If your business only works when you’re working, it’s time to redesign how it runs. In this episode of Sharkpreneur, Seth Greene interviews Lady Jen Du Plessis, DC, The Scaling Architect, who shares how she went from knowing nothing about mortgages to becoming a top-producing leader who helped fund more than a billion dollars in loans. A celebrated Amazon best-selling author, podcaster, and TV host, she’s helped more than 8,000 entrepreneurs transition from practitioner mode to scalable companies that don’t require daily intervention. She breaks down the mindset shift, systems, and leadership habits that drive real harmony and long-term growth. Key Takeaways:→ Teams can’t execute consistently without documented, repeatable processes.→ People struggle when they aren’t empowered with clear workflows and expectations. → Scaling a business requires clarity about vision, values, and voice. → AI is useful, but it can’t replace the human touch. → Know when to hire using lead indicators and KPIs, not out of desperation.  Affectionately known as The Scaling Architect, Lady Jen Du Plessis is the Leading Expert in helping powerhouse business owners create a company that runs smoothly without them - achieving massive revenue growth while gaining more freedom and fulfillment in life with grace and ease. Who would have ever thought that little "Jenny Who Ain't Got a Penny," now Dame Lady Jen, a member of the Royal House of Cappadocia and the Royal Order of Constantine the Great and Saint Helen, would have become a numerous #1 Amazon best-selling author, host of 3 top ranking podcasts, and producer and host of her TV show Business on the Vine. Connect With Jen:Website: https://www.ladyjenduplessis.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenduplessis/X: https://x.com/JenDuPlessisFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenDuPlessis22LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenduplessis/