S4E19: Taking a bold stance with your business, with Lori Jones (CEO of Avocet Communications)

What are the skills you'll need to develop in your business, in an AI world?This is the question Richard explores with today's guest. Tim Smeaton is the CEO and Co-Founder of Kubrick Group, a company that helps organizations realise the value of data, AI, and cloud technology. In this conversation, you’ll learn:Why Tim recommends you "ignore amazing opportunities."How Tim identified a structural problem to solve with his business - and the results he got.The potential impact of AI on technology spend, customer service, and decision-making.What skills you'll need to thrive as AI ramps up.Resources/sources mentioned:The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast(https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)Kubrick Group (https://www.kubrickgroup.com/us/)https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-smeaton-424929Join Rivendell (https://xquadrant.com/rivendell/), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making Time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/tim-smeaton Timestamps: 00:00 Intro04:28 Analytical approach to problem-solving11:43 Addressing skills gap by training in data17:08 Consulting firm offers great value and benefits20:08 Organizations lag in adopting AI 25:12 World Economic Forum highlights33:43 Concerns about the future marketplace and business models36:44 Expand digital areas, diverse training, impact measurement40:16 Hiring and managing a larger team effectively

That's what Richard Medcalf explores with Michael Riedl, the CEO of Team Internet. The business was founded in 1996 as a web services company distributing domain names, until Michael led a strategic charge to double-down on new solutions including online marketing.In this conversation, you’ll learn:The story of how they acquired 17 businesses in 4 yearsThe 'business model epiphany' that led to a dramatic reinventionHow the business geared up to scale fastHow Michael dismantled the silos that the M&A strategy had createdThe 3-phase roadmap that guided Michael's strategic thinkingResources/sources mentioned:The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast(https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)Visit Michael Riedl here: https://www.mr.ceo/Join Rivendell (https://xquadrant.com/rivendell/), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/michael-riedl

In this conversation, you’ll learn:How Logan (and Richard) relate business and faithHow to 'wow' people and build a powerful network of 6000 people (it's simple, but not always easy)The three big decisions everybody needs to addressHow Logan has built a culture of excellence that resulted in a Net Promoter Score "so high its almost unbelievable" (according to the consultancy who measured it!)How to invest in key outputs to create differentiationResources/sources mentioned:The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast(https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)Kernel Global (https://www.kernel-global.com/) Join Rivendell (https://xquadrant.com/rivendell/), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/logan-naiduTimestamps:00:00 Intro04:21 Embracing holistic identity and faith in workplace.07:33 Christian values and their practical challenges.13:30 Balancing faith and business in building networks.18:01 Maintaining startup hunger in a growing business.22:25 Client praises consultant for exceptional service and loyalty.27:46 "Balancing casual and dialed-in interactions consistently."32:35 Daily routines for self-improvement and productivity.39:39 Desire for growth, serving shareholders and employees.42:57 Focusing on faith, culture, and excellence.44:29 Leave a review, and check out the show notes.

In this episode,- Richard Medcalf speaks with Björn Thorngren, the CEO and co-founder of MEDS, a leading online pharmacy in Sweden. MEDS has been the fastest-growing Swedish company (2018-2021) according to the Financial Times, having grown in 6 years to 800,000 customers with a brand recognised by 50% of people.In this conversation, you’ll learn:How Björn identified the potential of the pharmaceutical sector in SwedenHow to build a strong consumer preference and win market share against strong incumbent competitionThe one part of the financial plan that Björn underestimatedWhat caused one of the co-founders to resign, and what Björn learned from thatThe next steps, now the initial goals have been attainedResources/sources mentioned:The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast(https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)Meds (https://meds.se/)Join Rivendell (https://xquadrant.com/rivendell/), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making Time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/Timestamps: 00:00 Intro03:42 Crating successful companies with marginal market improvements08:03 How to overcome competitors in the domestic market10:42 Transitioning from store to online17:22 How to create your brand in a competitive market.23:55 Challenges in reaching new customers32:25 Expanding business with new markets and products.

That's the question Richard explores today with Jack Murray, entrepreneur and the CEO of MediaHQ, a leading Irish SaaS company that has revolutionized the PR and communications industry with its comprehensive media contacts database and press release distribution tools. Jack is also an author, having penned "The Magic Slice," where he explores the art of storytelling in business.In this conversation, you’ll learn:The insidious ways corporate culture is reducing your impact – and what to do instead.Specific tools to help you clarify your missionHow to use the "Magic Slice" to land your message with impactHow to change your presentations so they benefit from the latest neuroscience findings on how to win hearts and minds (and what not to do)Resources/sources mentioned:Media HQ (https://www.mediahq.com/)Buy Jack Murray's book: https://www.amazon.com/Magic-Slice-Master-Storytelling-Business-ebook/dp/B09HZFKYKYThe Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast(https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)Join Rivendell (https://xquadrant.com/rivendell/), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/jack-murrayTimestamps: 00:00 Intro06:21 Formal education designed for the industrial age11:45 Funny moments during the storyteller course14:15 Define mission, goal, and success for clarity22:28 Challenges experienced managers face25:00 Introducing two transformative coaching programs for executives.28:45 The Designer learns lessons in audience understanding and impact.31:22 Identifying key trends34:24 Importance of storytelling in creating engaging content.49:04 Wrap up

Today Richard speaks with Dorie Clark. Dorie is the WSJ Bestselling author of The Long Game, as well as Entrepreneurial You, Reinventing You, and Stand Out. The New York Times has described Dorie as an "expert at self-reinvention and helping others make changes in their lives." She has been named to the Thinkers50 list three times.In this conversation, you’ll learn:Why even successful CEOs might not be playing the long game as much as they thinkThe twin pillars of Dorie's own exponential rise to a top-tier thought leaderWhy Dorie cut her business by one-third - and how that catapulted her forwardsHow to balance financial risk and operational risk on a personal levelWhy Dorie has been on a 10-year mission to create a musical on Broadway, alongside her business writing and speaking – and why we should find a similar projectResources/sources mentioned: Your Strategic Thinking Self-Assessment (https://dorieclark.com/thelonggame/)The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast (https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)Join Rivendell (https://xquadrant.com/rivendell/), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making Time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/dorie-clark Timestamps:00:00 Intro06:18 Making strategic bets09:35 How to prevent financial desperation11:38 Long-term goals take time; celebrate small wins20:21 Balancing work priorities22:02 Balancing income, experiences, financial stability, and choices28:11 Maintaining creativity through self-reflection and reinvention37:56 How to help others share their ideas43:02 Outro

In this episode, we'll share cutting-edge insight about how you can make that happen.Elisa Farri is vice president and co-lead of Capgemini Invent’s Management Lab. She is listed in the Thinkers50 Radar Class of 2023. She is a frequent contributor to leading management magazines, including the Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and Rotman Management. She has recently published the "Management GPT" white paper in collaboration with Thinkers50.In this conversation, you’ll learn:Three impactful ways leaders can start using generative AI, as a thought partnerWhy you need to move from knowing about generative AI, to actively harnessing itHow to use AI as a co-thinker, not as a producerWhere you should startResources/sources mentioned:The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast(https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)Management GPT: How CEOs can harness Generative AI in their own leadership Join Rivendell (https://xquadrant.com/rivendell/), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making Time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/elisa-farriTimestamps:00:00 Intro03:57 Exploring the impact of generative AI in labs09:10 Tech-savvy leadership with AI13:49 Strategic thinking and guidance for interacting with machines16:58 Humans need to build core competencies, and use technology.21:34 Using machines for project feedback and support.25:24 AI will not replace human emotional intelligence

We're continuing our season on "business as a force for good", Richard speaks with Brett Simmons, CEO of Scale Link. Scale Link is a social venture and a first-of-its-kind secondary market for small business loans, working with more than 30 community development finance institutions (CDFIs) and having purchased over $52M in loans over the last 3 years to provide capital and additional revenue to important community organizations -  to the tune of $5.5M in unrestricted funds.In this conversation, you’ll learn:Why Brett believes impact investing is brokenThe art of "execution versus calibration," as new information comes inWhy humility is a leadership superpowerResources/sources mentioned:scalelink.orgThe Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast(https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)Join Rivendell (https://xquadrant.com/rivendell/), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/brett-simmonsTimestamps: 0:00 Intro04:46 How to make transactions more efficient07:55 Planning vs. Execution09:32 Challenges in selling to different bank sizes12:58 Structuring environment for self-discovery and growth20:48 Addressing societal needs 26:30 The Power of Humility

We're continuing our season on "business as a force for good", Richard speaks with Chintan Panchal, Founding Partner of RPCK Rastegar Panchal, a law firm that has developed a dedicated impact investing practice, advising both mission-aligned investors and social enterprises.Chintan has become a trusted advisor to leaders in the impact field because of his "purpose-driven" approach to corporate law.In this conversation, you’ll learn:Why "interesting" is a trap that can keep you stuck in unfulfilling workWhat innovations occur when you intersect law with an impact mindsetThe overlooked reasons why venture capital is often not the perfect funding option for impact entrepreneursHow new legal frameworks can enable a new wave of impactHow to scale your results by moving from a project mindset to a paradigm mindsetResources/sources mentioned:https://rpck.com/The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast(https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)Join Rivendell (https://xquadrant.com/rivendell/), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/chintan-panchalTimestamps:00:00 Intro04:34 Making societal impact09:00 Investor-entrepreneur relationships12:37 Challenges with traditional financing 22:17 Learning leads to success30:36 Balancing family, work, and making a difference40:00 Becoming the best leader through effective communication

More broadly, how can you make every conversation win hearts as well as minds?The answer is in becoming more “magnetic”. Today we'll dive deeper into the topic of magnetism and explore three pillars to help you understand and apply the principles of magnetism in your leadership journey because becoming more magnetic doesn’t happen by accident.RESOURCES MENTIONED:Find out more about Rivendell our exclusive programme for visionary CEOs of $20M-200M+ businesses determined to 10X their financial success and 10X their positive impact on the world https://xquadrant.com/services/ceo-mastermind/Become a more strategic and impactful leader. Impact Accelerator is a unique development programme for ambitious executives who want to lead at a new level https://xquadrant.com/services/impact-accelerator/MORE FROM RICHARD:Subscribe to the Xquadrant Insider. Bite-sized weekly emails, with secrets from some of the world's top mission-driven leaders to help you transform yourself, your businesses and the world…without the grind!Follow Richard on LinkedIn and subscribe to our YouTube channel, or visit the Xquadrant web site.