Episodios

  • Key Person Insurance plus Entrepreneurship and Empowerment
    Sep 29 2022
    Before acquiring a business, professionals must first do some background study on the business entity. Risk assessment is one way to learn about a business, to see what potential risks exist and how susceptible the business is to them. The term "Key Person risk" tops the list of risk assessments. This key individual is someone whose presence is absolutely necessary to the business.

    Cindy Fields, the CEO, and founder of Loyalty Alliance is our guest on this episode. She talks about how a company's "Key Person" influences the entire business entity. She also mentioned the people who are referred to as the company's key personnel and how businesses have been purchasing Key Person Insurance to reduce the chance of failure during acquisitions. Finally, She offers our listeners some key points and recommendations.

    Key Takeaways

    What is the Loyalty Alliance and what do they do?
    The importance of Key Person Insurance to M&A
    Who usually is the Key Person in a business?
    Takeaways and advice from Cindy

    Quotes

    "Key person insurance is defined as insurance for an individual at the company. It's an individual whose job is so pivotal to the company that if something happens to them, the company will be greatly affected." - Cindy

    "I love key person insurance because I love protecting the companies, helping companies grow, talking to the CEOs about their companies and knowing them, and making sure they have the right protective mechanisms in place to achieve what's important to them." - Cindy

    Featured in this Episode

    Christopher Lisle
    Growth strategy advisor for the ecosystem of investors, banks, and the companies they work with (middle market).
    Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kit-lisle
    Websites: Acclaropartners.com / strategicgrowthcouncil.com
    Contact: kit@strategicgrowthcouncil.com / 703-867-7269

    Cindy Fields
    President & Founder of Loyalty Alliance, Inc
    Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cindyafields
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/theLAIWay
    Website: https://loyaltyalliance.com

    Words from our Sponsors

    Thanks to our sponsors Acclaro Growth Partners, a strategic consulting firm serving middle market mergers and acquisitions. You can visit acclaropartners.com. Our other sponsor, of course, is Strategic Growth Council, not the podcast, but the Peer Advisory Council slash virtual roundtable slash mastermind group for senior execs and business owners. Contemplating what an acquisition, a sale, or just strategic growth? Strategic Growth Council collaborates with participants in the M&A ecosystem, such as private equity groups, lenders, investment banks, and relevant service providers. Visit strategicgrowthcouncil.com to learn more.

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction
    01:46 Our guest’s background
    04:38 What is Loyalty Alliance and what do they do?
    10:46 How does Key Person Insurance come into play in different situations?
    14:07 Who purchases the insurance for that key person?
    20:13 The difference between key person insurance versus a typical insurance
    23:21 The opportunities and challenges of growing her business
    25:56 Takeaways from our guest
    28:30 How to connect with Cindy and Loyalty Alliance

    This podcast is produced by Heartcast Media
    https://www.heartcastmedia.com/
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    30 m
  • Brand Strategy and FastLane's Role in the Middle Market M&A Ecosystem
    Sep 8 2022
    Branding for a company is more crucial than you would realize. Your brand is not only the logos and colors that you see but it is also the personality of your brand. Some businesses are struggling in building their brands. One of the struggles is how to communicate and establish their values in front of their customers. In this episode, Chris Faust, founder, and CEO of Fastlane, an independent, full-service branding, marketing, and communications agency, will discuss what branding is and how to establish the values of the brand and communicate it with the target audience. He also talks about how they help their clients establish their brand in front of their customers and what typical clients they’ve handled. Lastly, he gives some takeaways about what are his hopes and dreams for the future.

    Key Takeaways

    Chris's background and his company
    What are Fastlane and its place in the market
    Definition of branding and why companies are having problems with establishing brand values
    The clients they worked with and the challenges they experienced
    Takeaways and wishes from our guests

    Quotes

    "Branding goes well beyond just a good logo. It involves the entire totality of the experience and touchpoints that a customer or a buyer, B2B or B2C has with that company." - Chris

    "We walk our clients through what we call a value ladder. The value ladder is ultimately asking questions that can provide feedback to make the customer's experience better." - Chris

    Featured in this Episode

    Christopher Lisle
    Growth strategy advisor for the ecosystem of investors, Banks, and the companies they work with (middle market).
    Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kit-lisle
    Websites: Acclaropartners.com / strategicgrowthcouncil.com
    Contact: kit@strategicgrowthcouncil.com / 703-867-7269

    Christopher Faust
    Founder & CEO, Fastlane
    Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cmfaust
    Profile: https://fastlane.co/chris-faust/
    Company Website: https://fastlane.co/

    Words from our Sponsors

    Thanks to our sponsors Acclaro Growth Partners, a strategic consulting firm serving middle market mergers and acquisitions. You can visit acclaropartners.com. Our other sponsor, of course, is Strategic Growth Council, not the podcast, but the Peer Advisory Council slash virtual roundtable slash mastermind group for senior execs and business owners. Contemplating what an acquisition, a sale, or just strategic growth is? Strategic Growth Council collaborates with participants in the M&A ecosystem, such as private equity groups, lenders, investment banks, and relevant service providers. Visit strategicgrowthcouncil.com to learn more.

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction
    01:57 About Chris
    06:21 What is Fastlane and where does it fit in the market?
    10:10 Working with global leader businesses
    13:14 What is the reason that clients come to you?
    16:38 Experience with clients that wants acquisition
    19:10 Helping clients to prepare pending sales from a marketing communications standpoint
    22:51 How do you define the value of a brand?
    31:17 What are the typical clients you work with and what are the challenges?
    38:10 Thoughts about peer advisory network groups
    41:15 Chris sharing his hopes and dreams
    44:17 Conclusion

    This podcast is produced by Heartcast Media
    https://www.heartcastmedia.com/
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    46 m
  • Alinea Growth and Preparing Businesses for Sale
    Aug 2 2022
    It takes timing, preparation, and strategy to sell a firm. These are all a part of the procedure, which, depending on the size of your organization, may occasionally be difficult. To get you the finest outcomes and uphold the reputation of the company you've built most in your life, there are services out there that may offer you consultations and even coaching. In today's episode, Kit invited Phil Curatilo, founder of Alinea Growth, an exit prep consulting and coaching firm. They discuss the proper process of selling a business, things to practice when planning to sell, the difference between consulting and coaching, the rules when thinking about selling the business, and lastly some key points about the distinction between investment banks and business brokers.

    Key Takeaways

    Who is Alinea Growth and what are its services
    Examples of the area of weakness during the selling process of businesses
    Consulting services versus Coaching services defined by our Guest
    The future of Alinea Growth and where it headed to
    The rules and facts they established when selling the business
    The difference between investment banks and a business broker

    Quotes

    "If you're talking as a standalone business, a new platform for buyers, customer concentration is in fact important." - Phil

    "One positive thing that the pandemic gave us is that people are now and companies are now much more willing to participate in learning and meeting like we're doing right now virtually." - Phil

    "Consultants usually have a specific area of expertise and coaches takes some of it but they will help you discover things, meaning you do some work on your own to help you that discovery." - Phil

    Featured in this Episode

    Christopher Lisle
    Growth strategy advisor for the ecosystem of investors, IBanks, and the companies they work with (middle market).
    Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kit-lisle
    Websites: Acclaropartners.com / strategicgrowthcouncil.com
    Contact: kit@strategicgrowthcouncil.com / 703-867-7269

    Phil Curatilo
    Founder, Alinea Growth
    Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philcuratilo
    Company Website: http://alineagrowth.com

    Words from our Sponsors

    Thanks to our sponsors Acclaro Growth Partners, a strategic consulting firm serving middle market mergers and acquisitions. You can visit acclaropartners.com. Our other sponsor, of course, is Strategic Growth Council, not the podcast, but the Peer Advisory Council slash virtual roundtable slash mastermind group for senior execs and business owners. Contemplating what an acquisition, a sale, or just strategic growth is? Strategic Growth Council collaborates with participants in the M&A ecosystem, such as private equity groups, lenders, investment banks, and relevant service providers. Visit strategicgrowthcouncil.com to learn more.

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction
    01:47 What is Alinea and its origins
    02:45 Our guest's background and his business ---
    06:47 Common examples of an area of weakness in selling the business
    18:46 Webinars as a way of learning things
    20:33 Clients they cater
    23:25 Importance of peer groups
    27:18 Definition of coaching from our guest
    29:27 Where is business heading to
    31:16 8 unassailable facts
    36:18 investment banks vs business brokers

    Produced by Heartcast media
    https://www.heartcastmedia.com/
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    45 m
  • Executive Coaching and Preparing Your Business for Sale
    Jul 27 2022
    It takes a lot of effort and time to plan an exit strategy for your company, especially if you don't know much about it. It is best to hire an experienced expert to complete these tasks. In this episode, Kit invited Caroline Young, the CEO and founder of Craftsbury Consulting, a business consultancy that provides assistance with exit planning, preparedness, and executive coaching. Caroline discusses her personal experiences as well as how she started her consulting firm. She continues by outlining their services, which include business coaching and exit planning. She also talks about her expertise in M&A and how she used her abilities to help her clients succeed. If you're interested in learning more about organic growth, growth by acquisition, or the sale of your company, this will be interesting and useful for you.

    Key Takeaways

    Caroline's Business Coaching and Exit planning services
    The definition of Private Equity
    Caroline's Business Coaching and the 360 feedback
    Caroline's approach to exit planning strategy

    Quotes

    "I love learning about new companies and helping people, find the strength of that company in a way that buyers are going to fall in love with it." - Caroline

    "I'm not a certified coach, but leveraging my experience to help people has been super effective." - Caroline

    Featured in this Episode

    Christopher Lisle
    Growth strategy advisor for the ecosystem of investors, banks, and the companies they work with (middle market).
    Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kit-lisle
    Websites: Acclaropartners.com / strategicgrowthcouncil.com
    Contact: kit@strategicgrowthcouncil.com / 703-867-7269

    Caroline Young
    CEO and Founder of Craftsbury Consulting
    Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroline-young-b634332b
    Profile: https://craftsburyconsulting.com/about-us/meet-craftsburys-founder
    Company Website: https://craftsburyconsulting.com/

    Words from our Sponsors

    Thanks to our sponsors Acclaro Growth Partners, a strategic consulting firm serving middle market mergers and acquisitions. You can visit acclaropartners.com. Our other sponsor, of course, is Strategic Growth Council, not the podcast, but the Peer Advisory Council slash virtual roundtable slash mastermind group for senior execs and business owners. Contemplating what an acquisition, a sale, or just strategic growth is? Strategic Growth Council collaborates with participants in the M&A ecosystem, such as private equity groups, lenders, investment banks, and relevant service providers. Visit strategicgrowthcouncil.com to learn more.

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction
    01:45 Guest's background and what she does
    08:13 coaching and exit planning services
    10:08 What is private equity?
    13:34 Business coaching
    15:13 Importance of feedback
    20:35 Caroline's edge compare to other coaches
    22:11 Are there people who are uncoachable?
    23:56 Preparing the business for sale
    26:21 Entrepreneurial operating system
    27:34 Some case studies
    36:42 About retreat and how to reach Caroline

    This podcast is produced by Heartcast Media
    https://www.heartcastmedia.com/
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    40 m
  • RSM in the Ecosystem and as a Strategic Partner to LXCouncil/Strategic Growth Council
    Jul 14 2022
    Having to join Peer advisory groups is one of the best recommendations you get as these groups provide unique insights and support for your business growth. Additionally, it can assist you in developing your leadership abilities because some of your peers are expert leaders in their respective fields and will impart knowledge and insight to you that isn't found in business books.

    In this episode, Kit welcomes Todd Russell, a partner at RSM, a full-service professional services company that offers tax audit consulting and M&A-related services to the middle market. Kit and Todd talk about the value of participating in peer advisory groups and the advantages of working with RSM as a business partner. Todd also highlights RSM's unique characteristics and its place in the middle market environment.
    If you're interested in learning more about organic growth, growth by acquisition, or the increase of capitalization of your company, this will be interesting and useful for you.

    Key Takeaways

    The core meaning of doing Peer Advisory Councils
    Benefits of partnering with RSM
    Where RSM fits in the ecosystem of the middle market
    Benefits of joining peer advisory councils
    What separates RSM from its rivals

    Quotes

    "The peer advisory council is a safe environment for business professionals to share their problems and ideas. This is an environment where they don't have to worry about a competitor." - Todd

    "We strive to stand out among our customers by truly earning those deep loyal relationships by understanding them, understanding their needs, and understanding their business from all angles." - Todd

    Featured on this Episode

    Christopher Lisle
    Growth strategy advisor for the ecosystem of investors, IBanks, and the companies they work with (middle market).
    Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kit-lisle
    Websites: Acclaropartners.com / http://strategicgrowthcouncil.com/
    Contact: kit@strategicgrowthcouncil.com / 703-867-7269

    Todd Russell
    Partners at RSM
    Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-russell-1796259
    Company Website: https://rsmus.com/

    Words from our Sponsors

    Thanks to our sponsors Acclaro Growth Partners, a strategic consulting firm serving middle-market mergers and acquisitions. You can visit acclaropartners.com. Our other sponsor, of course, is Strategic Growth Council, not the podcast, but the Peer Advisory Council slash virtual roundtable slash mastermind group for senior execs and business owners. Contemplating what an acquisition, a sale, or just strategic growth? Strategic Growth Council collaborates with participants in the M&A ecosystem, such as private equity groups, lenders, investment banks, and relevant service providers. Visit strategicgrowthcouncil.com to learn more.

    Chapters
    00:00 Intro
    01:57 Todd's background
    03:11 Defining Peer Advisory Councils
    05:44 Support and trust vulnerability
    10:22 Benefits in partnership with RSM
    14:11 Where does RSM fits in the ecosystem of the middle market
    17:34 Significant topics Todd learned over the years
    19:37 Benefits of participating in peer advisory council
    21:24 The difference between RSM to others
    25:36 Thoughts on offering peer advisory council
    26:37 Todd's next journey

    Produced by Heartcast Media
    https://www.heartcastmedia.com/
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    30 m
  • Exit Planning
    Jun 3 2022
    Many firms focus on issues that affect them right now, such as marketing, HR, sales, cash flow, and so on. Having or formulating an exit strategy for them is unrealistic since they do not expect to sell their company anytime soon. However, you cannot avoid departing your business, and research found that over 70% of businesses had no exit strategy at all. Having an exit strategy plan as soon as necessary can benefit you and your business since you will have a clearer picture of what your business will be in the future, giving you recommendations on how to develop it today.In today's podcasts, Kit invited Gerald Radican of Veritas Financial, and Rick Scruggs of Financial Designs and they talked about the importance of having an exit strategy in your business. The episode starts with telling background information about our guests and what are the benefits of formulating exit strategies for your business. They also share the ideal Time Frame to set to have a successful exit strategy and what are the factors to look at during the set time frame. They notably said that in every business, solutions, and processes are different from each other as they said no one solution fits all. They also share some case examples from their experience and lastly they provide some insights and lessons learned from their many years in business.If you're interested in learning more about organic growth, growth by acquisition, or the increase of capitalization of your company, this will be interesting and useful for you. Key TakeawaysThe Benefits in Collaboration with Firms That Can Advise Exit Plans in Businesses.The Optimum Time Frame in Selling Business and The Factors To Look at Doing Due Diligence is Still Important in the Exit Plan StrategyThe Difference between Our Guest from The OthersChallenges and Big Lessons That The Guests Learn in This Business JourneyQuotesEvery situation is going to vary. It's going to depend on the size of company ownership, and tax status as an S-corp or C-Corp. So one size does not fit all. - GeraldIt's lonely at the top, in the sense that you have no one on your team to talk to about succession, selling the business, or planning to sell the business until the moment is right. -Kit I would say that what differentiates us is We run a personal financial plan parallel to a business plan every time we work with business owners and we come in often to find out that no business owners ever really do a personal financial plan. - GeraldWhat sets us apart from other businesses is that we want to listen first, then ask excellent questions before offering answers. - Rick Featured on this EpisodeChristopher LisleGrowth strategy advisor for the ecosystem of investors, IBanks, and the companies they work with (middle market).Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kit-lisleWebsites: Acclaropartners.com / http://strategicgrowthcouncil.com/Contact: kit@strategicgrowthcouncil.com / 703-867-7269 Gerald J RadicanPartner At Veritas FinancialProfile: vfwealth.com/team/gerald-radicanLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerald-j-radicanWebsite: https://vfwealth.comRick Scruggs, CLU, ChFC, C(k)PPartner At Veritas Financial | Principal at Financial DesignsLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-scruggs-clu-chfc-c-k-p%C2%AE-5257a729Website: https://www.financialdesigns.com/Book Mentioned in the EpisodeThe Checklist Manifesto By Atul GawandeLink: http://atulgawande.com/book/the-checklist-manifesto/Words from our SponsorsThanks to our sponsors Acclaro Growth Partners, a strategic consulting firm serving middle-market mergers and acquisitions. You can visit acclaropartners.com. Our other sponsor, of course, is Strategic Growth Council, not the podcast, but the Peer Advisory Council slash virtual roundtable slash mastermind group for senior execs and business owners. Contemplating what an acquisition, a sale, or just strategic growth? Strategic Growth Council collaborates with participants in the M&A ecosystem, such as private equity groups, lenders, investment banks, and relevant service providers. Visit strategicgrowthcouncil.com to learn more. Chapters00:00 Introduction02:07 Rick’s Background03:01 Gerald’s Background05:31 The Benefits of Having an Exit Plan07:08 Fair Market Value10:17 Good Time Frame for Selling the Business13:42 Factors to look at during the Set Time Frame16:03 Due Diligence is important17:25 Different size, Different Process22:58 Insights from Experience and Mistakes25:20 Case Examples28:13 Differentiating our Guests From Others32:24 Challenges and Big Lessons From Our Guests40:34 How to Contact the Guests41:54 ConclusionThis podcast was produced by Heartcast Media.
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    43 m
  • The Role of The Executive Search Firm
    May 27 2022
    Finding and hiring the right people is an important aspect of a company's growth, and it has a direct influence on future success. A company's development and output will undoubtedly suffer without the right people. Without addressing these concerns, a company can't stay afloat in this competitive market.

    In today's podcast, Kit invited Debra Young of Sheer Velocity, a global retained executive search firm focusing on the lower middle market with connections in private equity. She shares the importance of acquiring the right people with the right skill set, culture and personality. Debra discusses how we should find talents and leaders using a proven model and the factors that we should consider. She also shares some case examples and stories about her job and the lessons and wisdom she got from it.

    If you're interested in learning more about organic growth, growth by acquisition, or the increase of capitalization of your company, this will be interesting and useful for you.

    Key Takeaways

    Our Guest's Work about Merger and Acquisition Market
    How does Transitioning and Selection of Leaders of an Organization work
    Finding Talents in this Times and the Talent Search Process of Sheer Velocity
    Some Success Stories and Case Examples Shared by Our Guest
    The Market Competition Around Talent Search or Human Resources
    Some Lessons, Wisdoms, and Takeaways from our Guest

    Quotes

    There are a lot of people who are looking to move, but they're moving for the wrong reasons and they're not the right ones to hire or have the right motives for that particular role - Debra

    We look at candidates from a complete 360-degree perspective, utilizing some proprietary tools to assess them not only in technical skills but also if cultured-fit and have a leadership personality. - Debra

    One of the most important things to remember, especially when recruiting prospects, is to always have at least two individuals ready to step into the job in case one doesn't work out. - Debra

    Featured on this Episode

    Christopher Lisle
    Growth strategy advisor for the ecosystem of investors, IBanks, and the companies they work with (middle market).
    Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kit-lisle
    Websites: Acclaropartners.com / strategicgrowthcouncil.com
    Contact: kit@strategicgrowthcouncil.com / 703-867-7269

    Debra Young, PHR, SHRM-CP
    Co-founder & Managing Partner, Sheer Velocity LLC
    Experienced Executive Search Business Partner | Strategist | Business Owner | Small to Middle Market Private Equity
    Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debra-young-phr-shrm-cp-16810b7
    Website: https://www.sheervelocity.com/
    Contact: dyoung@sheervelocity.com / 303-990-1518

    Techs and Links Mentioned in the Episode

    Hogan Assessment Test -> www.hoganassessments.com
    INAC Global Executive Search -> https://inac-global.com

    Words from our Sponsors

    Thanks to our sponsors Acclaro Growth Partners, a strategic consulting firm serving middle-market mergers and acquisitions. You can visit acclaropartners.com. Our other sponsor is Strategic Growth Council, not the podcast, but the Peer Advisory Council slash virtual roundtable slash mastermind group for senior execs and business owners. Contemplating what an acquisition, a sale, or just strategic growth? Strategic Growth Council collaborates with participants in the M&A ecosystem, such as private equity groups, lenders, investment banks, and relevant service providers. Visit strategicgrowthcouncil.com to learn more.

    Chapters
    00:00 - Introduction
    02:07 - Debrah Young Bio and Background
    04:23 - Debrah’s work in a Merger and Acquisition Perspective
    06:23 - How Searching for a New CEO Works
    08:24 - Knowing to Find Talents in this Great Resignation Era
    13:29 - The Talent Search Process of Sheer Velocity
    17:28 - Case Examples / Success Stories
    21:03 - The Competition around Talent Search / Human Resource Market
    24:33 - More Case Examples
    27:09 - Lessons and Wisdom From the Guest
    28:50 - Outro

    This podcast was produced by Heartcast Media.
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    33 m
  • Value Creation and Acclaro Growth Partners' Role in the Process
    May 20 2022
    Value creation is the foundation of business. It is what sets you apart from the competition, secures long-term customers, and provides your brand and solution a distinct meaning. Your unique product will be considered as just another commodity by your target market until you build value for it. In order to create value for your product, you must first understand what value means to your target market. What are their needs and wants? How can your product improve their lives? Once you have a clear understanding of your target market's needs, you can begin to formulate a value proposition that will resonate with them. Only then will you be able to set your product apart from the competition and secure the loyalty of long-term customers.

    In this podcast, Kit welcomes his guests Chris Longiaru, COO at Acclaro Growth Partners, Beth Hattel, a partner at Acclaro Growth Partners and Josh Present, a principal also in Acclaro Growth Partners. They discuss what Value Creation means and how it is important when we start growing our business.

    If you're interested in learning more about organic growth, growth by acquisition, or the increase of capitalization of your company, this will be interesting and useful for you.

    Key Takeaways

    What is Value Creation
    Where Does Value Creation Fit in the Market
    Why Clients and Business Owners Ask for Help in Adding Value
    Takeaways and Lessons Shared From Our Guest

    Quotes

    “Overcoming the hurdles in processing your products and understanding your competitions within the market as best as possible is what I can say value creation” - Chris

    “Because the best plan for one entity may not be the best strategy for another. And I suppose the quick answer to where it adds value is our ability to kind of put those things together and develop a strategy that works best for them.” - Beth

    “Coming from my experience,I tend to view more looking at the inward as ultimately affecting the outward end around how people build trust” - Josh

    Featured in this Episode

    Christopher Lisle
    Growth strategy advisor for the ecosystem of investors, IBanks and the companies they work with (middle market).
    Acclaropartners.com

    Chris Longiaru
    COO | VP, Operations
    Acclaropartners.com

    Beth Hattel
    Market Strategy Professional | Partner at Acclaro Growth Partners
    Acclaropartners.com

    Joshua Present
    Principal at Acclaro Growth Partners
    Acclaropartners.com

    Chapters
    [00:00] Introduction
    [02:12] Chris’ Background
    [03:06] Josh’s Background
    [03:51] Beth’s Background
    [05:10] Where Does Value Creation Fit in the Grand Scheme?
    [05:59] What Does Value Creation Mean?
    [11:50] What Causes Clients to Ask for Help?
    [18:35] How Does This Process Take Time?
    [19:12] Words of Wisdom from Our Guests
    [22:49] Conclusion and Outro

    This podcast was produced by Heartcast Media.
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    24 m