Running Into The Fog: Recent Episodes

View Details

Justin Spears isn't just the founder of MXI Consulting; he's a catalyst for business transformation. Leveraging a unique blend of military discipline and agile innovation, Justin has made MXI Consulting the go-to partner for businesses hungry for growth. As a U.S. Navy veteran and certified Scrum Master and Safe 5 Agilist, he knows how to navigate complex challenges with precision and agility.

Before MXI, Justin honed his skills in both the government and commercial sectors. Armed with an M.A. in Intellectual Leadership and an M.B.A. in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, he's not just a strategist; he's a doer. His portfolio boasts successful change initiatives and the launch of new organizational divisions across diverse industries. Add certifications in Change Management, Design Thinking, and Lean Six Sigma, and you've got a leader who doesn't just talk the talk but walks the walk.

What sets Justin apart? It's his proven track record in driving continuous improvements and his passion for applying agile and LEAN management techniques. He doesn't just offer services; he becomes a strategic partner committed to your success.

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

Cam Mackey is President and CEO of the International Safety Equipment Association. ISEA champions a strong and vibrant personal protective and safety equipment industry through product standards, advocacy, actionable market insights, and industry-leading training. Appointed by the Board in May 2022, Cam is the leading advocate for the industry that protects over 100 million workers every day in the U.S. alone.

Prior to joining ISEA, Cam was Executive Director at SCIP, the non-profit advancing the practice of competitive strategy & intelligence. He also held senior positions at Manufacturers Alliance, a professional society advancing manufacturing executive leadership, and at Corporate Executive Board, a best practices advisory and consulting firm (now part of Gartner).

Cam has led or collaborated on benchmark studies in areas including sustainability, product management, competitive strategy, innovation, and channel strategy. He is a member of the Live Stream Interchange Advisory Board, and the Finance Committee of the Edmund Burke School.

A native of Ashtabula, OH, Cam is a graduate of Haverford College, and lives in Washington, DC with his wife, two daughters, and Labrador retriever.

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

Jake Bernstein is the Director of Business Development at SPINS, a CPG data and insights company based out of Chicago. He leads a team of 5 business development representatives at the company, helping drive lead generation and new business opportunities. He's passionate about teaching, coaching and enabling others to sharpen their craft and achieve outcomes both personally and professionally.

Prior to SPINS, Jake was employee #1 at an HR Tech company called Bonfyre based out of St. Louis. Outside of work, Jake is a proud father of his son Shane who turns 1 this July, and is involved in a cause called Experience Camps, which helps grieving children have the best week ever.

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

As owner and President at AIM – Targeted Intelligence, Anne’s responsibilities include business prospecting and resource management. For over two decades, Anne has led a team of experienced intelligence analysts and librarians in delivering valuable solutions for the public and private sector.

Anne seeks continuous learning opportunities to provide innovative best-in-class solutions. This is evident through educational engagements, professional certifications and awarded contracts, such as AIM’s: Professional Researcher Certification (PRC) from the Insights Association, Competitive Intelligence Professional (CIP) certification from the Academy of Competitive Intelligence and a GSA federal contract awardee.

Anne also served as a past President for the Special Library Association’s (SLA) Competitive Intelligence Community, Director for SLA’s Michigan Chapter, and enjoys serving her local community and students by volunteering as a guest lecturer at Northwood University and Michigan Technological University.

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

Dragoljub Marjanovic is 23 years old and is from Belgrade, Serbia. He is a student-athlete at Gannon University currently enrolled in MBA in Business Analytics. In May 2022, he graduated from Gannon with a Bachelor's degree in Finance. For the past three years, he has been working as a research analyst for Gannon University’s Beehive.

In 2017, he came to the US as a foreign exchange student to finish his senior year of high school. At age 16, he was a professional water polo player in Serbia and a member of the Youth National team.

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

Brad Gleason is the Director of Entrepreneurial Operations at Gannon University and the CEO of Domestic Monitoring Initiative (DMI). Brad has an undergraduate degree at Gannon University, and a Masters of Science at Mercyhurst University in 2013. Brad has one 24 year old daughter Alexa (her Husband Ryan Patiya), and a life partner Dr. Julie Hartmann. Brad recently moved to Louisville, KY and splits his work life between Erie, PA (Gannon University) and Kentucky.

Brad's DMI journey started with what he phrases “The Aha” moment. A dying wish of his mother, combined with a gathering with a life mentor triggered an idea tied to solving a problem that has turned into a four year effort to reduce suffering, self-harm and group-harm for the betterment of society. Domestic Monitoring Initiative can revolutionize case management awareness that will reduce crisis events and add efficiencies to diversionary care in mental health and over time fields such as veterans, children & youth, pre-release programs and even employee assistance programs.

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

BEWARE THE IDES OF MARCH isn't just a prophecy for Caesar to watch his back; it's a warning to rulers everywhere their people aren't necessarily going to roll over and accept tyranny without a fight. Starting last year, we began celebrating the Ides of March (always the 15th) with a tradition we call Death-to-Tyrants Day, which just happens to be the day of our livestream this week. Join us this Wednesday at Noon Central time to discuss what's trending in our autocratically intensifying world and how to fight for freedom and liberty in spite of it all.

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

Join us for a special episode of Running Into the Fog as we celebrate Derek’s 20th anniversary in the field of competitive intelligence! As one of our talented hosts, Derek has been instrumental in bringing our viewers unique quests and insights into the world of competitive intelligence. Now, it’s time for us to turn the spotlight on him and hear about his journey into this fascinating field.

During this episode, Derek will share his personal experiences and lessons learned, from his early days in the industry to his current role as a leader in the field. He’ll provide valuable insights into what it takes to succeed in competitive intelligence, including the skills, mindset, and tools needed to stay ahead of the competition. Join us as we celebrate Derek’s achievements and gain a deeper understanding of what it takes to succeed in the field.

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

Sebastian Herrera is a 4th year MIS Major at the University of Georgia. With plans to graduate in December of 2023, he is spending his undergraduate year extracting as much value as he can from the Terry College of Business, his co-curricular fellowships, and extracurricular experiences. Academically, Sebastian has decided to pursue an area of emphasis in Data Analytics as well as the Beckham Certificate of Workforce Diversity. In addition to his academic pursuits, Sebastian has spent the last 6 months working for the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) at the University of Georgia as a data entry specialist. Outside of his normal duties, he has taken it upon himself to improve the programs spreadsheets and has begun the process of introducing the EFNEP program to data querying languages that would increase reporting efficiency.

When he is not in class or at work, Sebastian is very involved across campus. He is an inaugural EY Terry Diversity Fellow, a UGA Leaders Engaged in Affirming Diversity (L.E.A.D.) Fellow, a member of the inaugural Terry Student Philanthropy Council, a member of the first student integrated Movimiento Latino Steering Committee, and the Vice President of Fraternal Development for Phi Kappa Theta. In each of these positions, Sebastian tries to bring his passion of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) as well as a lead by example attitude. In the future, Sebastian hopes to use bring his hardworking attitude, technical ability, and DEIB interests to a company that will value DEIB work as much as he does.

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

Wanda Marie Thibodeaux is a freelance writer based in Eagan, MN. Since 2006, she has worked with a full range of clients (e.g., Prudential, Duda Mobile) to create website landing pages, product descriptions, articles, professional letters, and other content. She also served as a daily columnist at Inc.com for three years (250,000-300,000 monthly page views), where she specialized in content on business leadership, psychology, neuroscience, and behavior. Her work has appeared in publications such as Forbes, Entrepreneur, and Harvard Business Review.

Currently, Thibodeaux is an executive ghostwriter with Massive Alliance and also accepts independent clients through her website, Takingdictation.com. She is especially interested in motivational psychology, self-development, and mental health.

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

Angie is a results-focused Human Resources Consultant with expertise covering all aspects of HR and the value solid HR practices can bring to both individuals and companies. She especially enjoys working with small to medium sized businesses in the professional services industry and has been fortunate to work in both a Human Resources and an Operations capacity enabling her to understand HR as a competitive advantage to the inner workings of every company. She uses this knowledge to partner with business leaders on how to best integrate Human Resources as a contributing function of the business.

After 15+ years of serving as internal Human Resources leader for private businesses, Angie founded Milestones HR, LLC in 2014. Milestones offers Human Resources services to companies who need HR expertise but do not require a full time Human Resources department. Milestones has proudly partnered with over 100 companies; whether their need is ongoing Human Resources support or support only until they grow to a size when they’re ready to hire an internal Human Resources leader.

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

Dr. Daniel Sem has over 25 years of experience in healthcare entrepreneurship and innovation, first in the biotechnology sector, then in academia. He has over 70 published papers and book chapters, 10 issued patents, and has co-founded several companies. In 2020 he published the book Purple Solutions: A bipartisan roadmap to better healthcare in America (purplesolutions.org). Dr. Sem works extensively with Universities, Industries and Government in Southeast Wisconsin to build shared innovation and commercialization resources for the region. He received his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from UW-Madison (1990), and then worked in biotechnology in San Diego where he co-founded Triad Therapeutics, ranked one of the top 10 biotech startups in the US by Drug Discovery Today (later acquired by Novartis for $60 million). He also has Law and MBA degrees from Marquette, and has acquired a passion for healthcare policy and business – blending law, healthcare, ethics and sound economics. He is a licensed attorney.

Sem joined the faculty at Marquette in 2002 and served as Assistant then Associate Professor of Organic Chemistry, before joining Concordia University’s new School of Pharmacy in 2011, transitioning to his role as Dean of Business in July of 2016 and then to Vice Provost for Research and Innovation in April of 2022. He maintains an appointment in the Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and is also CEO of Bridge to Cures, and cofounder and Director of the Remedium Exchange (Rx) Think Tank (rxthinktank.org). He currently serves a dual role at Concordia University as President of CU Ventures (Technology Transfer; Investing) and as Vice Provost for Research and Innovation. Sem is active in the business community, serving on multiple boards, including BBB and Ozaukee County Economic Development. His personal passion is helping faculty and student entrepreneurs build, fund and grow companies; and, innovating in applied business education.

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

Raleen Gagnon is the GM of Total Talent Intelligence at Magnit Global, responsible for enabling global workforce management with real-time actionable data that is delivered through cutting edge technology. Raleen has been integrating the power of competitive, market, and business intelligence to elevate corporate strategy and intelligence for the past 20 years.

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

In 2018, John Arms entered the jungle of the Fractional economy and hacked his way through it. Once through, he locked arms with Jason Voiovich and created Voyageur U as the definitive guide into the Fractional economy for professionals. Every day they reach back on the trail behind them to help others make their way and thrive as Fractional professionals. John is Co founder of the Voyageur University Fractional Talent enterprise. His special powers are in fractional talent thought leadership, advocacy and innovation. He is also a practicing Fractional Chief Marketing Officer.

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

Eric Garland is a futurist, intelligence analyst and entrepreneur, and member of the Council of Competitive Intelligence Fellows. He specializes in parsing the storytelling of the Narrative Industrial Complex and helping business and government executives see over the horizon what's coming their way while there's still time to adjust. We'll be taking a look at what's coming at us in 2023 and what's really going on in the final week before midterm elections here in the U.S.

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

With a reputation as one of the most thoughtful and diligent forecasters in the Building Products industry, Todd spearheads Zonda’s Building Products Research and Advisory practice, including investigating some of the toughest industry questions using unique housing data. Todd tackles tough research problems in Housing/Building Products that have important implications, and is the architect behind a number of publicly cited industry measures and analysis.

Before joining Zonda, Todd led JBREC Building Products Repair/Remodel forecasts, and economic/industry forecasting for North America at Kohler Co. Todd is an 11-time winner of the most accurate category forecaster from the Chicago Federal Reserve. Todd’s analysis is regularly cited by various media, including the Wall Street Journal, CNBC, New York Times, and others.

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

Join us in welcoming Zach Henderson, who was fortunate to build a small but successful real estate venture while in undergrad, and that afforded him the flexibility to explore a bit following graduation. After applying his industrial engineering degree in classic manufacturing roles for a brief stint, he moved into software implementation and ultimately product management for a large private healthcare IT company, continuing to grow the real estate company on the side.

After a 4-year paid degree in big tech, he went back to the entrepreneurial well and worked on various product and service startups spanning the real estate, healthcare, and cannabis industries. It was around this time in 2015 that his exploration into blockchain and cryptocurrencies would take shape.

Today, he is obsessed with learning and iterating as web3 grows at breakneck speeds. Why blockchain? Identifying the correct strategies in which to deploy the fundamental value of decentralization and non-custodial ownership of data presents a fascinating challenge, especially when considering the impact to the global power systems most disrupted.

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

It’s tea time today on Running Into the Fog. Join us in welcoming Judith Leavitt, who was a strategic intelligence/market research manager in corporate development and manager of a corporate library for 17 years, among other positions in the business sector.

But since retirement from the corporate world, Judy has gone from a casual tea drinker to what she describes as being a “tea monster”. Her passion for loose-leaf teas has driven her to educate people on the various types, aromas, benefits, production, and history of tea.

Join us today as we discuss Judy’s book ‘Talking Tea’ that she penned in 2020, and how that came about. We’ll also hear about what skills she has taken from her corporate background into this project, see how tea can bring us together, and learn a few tea-drinking basics along the way!

Quotes

• “I’ve only tasted two cups of coffee in my entire life. That was 1976, and I don’t plan to again.” (5:14 - 5:22)

• “I’ve always been a learner, from kindergarten on. I feel like every day I’m still learning something new about tea." (13:04 - 13:12)

• “My mission is, first of all, to connect people to tea, to really good quality tea. And then to connect people to each other over the tea table or tea talk.” (15:09 - 15:18)

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

Kicking off part one of a twofold installment, today’s show features the Jo Bros discussing all things recession-related. Specifically, Derek and Arik walk us through five of their top ten intelligence mission priorities during the great recession of 2022 and 2023.

As the United States slowly sinks into recession territory, many business leaders who had believed this to be a transitory period are now rethinking that conclusion. As the growth market economy evaporates, organizational strategies are now shifting to a more preservation-based approach.

Today’s five points are about playing defense in a recessionary environment. Topics include the effects on win/loss strategy, supply chain fragility, pricing versus profitability talent priorities, and vulnerable acquisition candidates. Make sure to tune in next week as well, where the focus is shifted to going on the offensive during an economic downturn.

Quotes

• “We can be a little more intentional about how we consolidate and protect the loyals, we take a share out of the wallet of the semis, we win back the formerly loyals, and we create awareness among the naives. So it’s four very different missions that win/loss performs based on those four different customer segments.” (9:20 to 9:43)

• “Take advantage as a consumer of this disequilibria, because you’re going to see discounting and disinflation in all those areas of the supply chain that you don’t really need.” (16:25 to 16:33)

• "If you’re not looking at supply chain as an intelligence professional, you’re missing a great opportunity to have impact arguably with some of the stakeholders that you might not interact with the most.” (18:09 to 18:19)

• "You’re looking to get directionally accurate rather than get precise.” (21:22 to 21:27)

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

Episode 40 welcomes Aurora’s own Emily Pillar onto the show. As a senior intelligence analyst, she brings a resourceful and inquisitive perspective, developed at a young age. At age 5 she was pondering the concepts of how minute actions could change reality, and by age 12 she was analyzing grocery coupons to determine an ideal shopping list.

Following a tragic accident involving her father, Emily and her sister took on the role of being a caregiver and healthcare advocates. She details what exactly that looks like and why it is so vital to be present in our loved ones' lives.

Listen in today for first-hand practical tips on how to navigate the medical system, why taking care of yourself is important, and what competitive intelligence and caregiving have in common!

Quotes

• “The problem solving, the strategic thinking, it was always there. And my passion for supporting business, moving businesses forward, and making good decisions in business has always been there as well." (21:30 - 21:45)

• “If you don’t understand something that a provider is explaining, ask a question.” (23:54 - 23:59)

• “Decide what’s important, and stand up for it.” (25:06 -25:09)

“Another thing I would say that's really really important is: learn how to set boundaries for yourself, for your own sanity, for your own health and wellness.” (25:13 - 25:25)

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

Joining us on the show today is John Olszowka, Dean at Mercyhurst University. This episode is for all you history geeks out there!

As a professor of history, John’s passion for the past started with simply interviewing his grandmother for a college project as a student himself years ago. But that experience opened his eyes to his true calling in life, and now he hopes to do the same for his students, whatever education path that might be.

Today’s show topics include students entering college versus the trades, how the war in Ukraine is shaping the arc of the global economy, and why it matters to love what you do.

Quotes

• “There’s this tendency at times, and I fell prey to that, where you start to look and say, ‘Okay, what’s this going to translate into a job for me’ and not thinking about ‘I’m going to be doing this for 40 years, am I going to truly enjoy it?’.” (13:24-13:35)

• “I think with this generation what we’re starting to see is students coming out of high school that are evaluating, ‘Is college for me, what paths do I have?’. I think that those opportunities are there for people who want to see them, but they’re certainly growing I would say.” (7:36-7:50)

• “I took the next class on the Byzantine empire thinking that’ll eradicate any interest I have in history at that point. But I was just drawn to it.” (17:03-17:12)

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

“This book project needs to get done” is how Derek Johnson put it. That’s right, the Jo Bros are writing a book together. Who better than to have on the podcast today than close colleague and friend, Dr. Craig Fleisher? With over 16 authored books to his name, Craig is a treasure trove of wisdom for anyone interested in writing a book.

It’s not easy, even for an experienced author. But with his years of practice, Craig has keyed in on six specific points to hit if you want anyone to actually read your work. Even with many difficult obstacles and impediments, Craig says “They’re all surmountable.”

Tune in as we take a closer look into what is driving Arik and Derek on this journey to put pen to paper. Filled with personal backstories, authentic authorship advice, and the vision of the upcoming book, you can’t miss this episode!

Quotes

• “The hardest thing about writing a book is getting the first chapter done” (25:37 -25:42

• “You gotta do something that you’re compelled to do, and that will compel your readers to do something.” (20:03 - 20:08)

• “Knowing who you want to read your books and what you want those people to do both during, and then after they consume your book is a critical piece for the author to plan around upfront.” (13:19 - 13:33)

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

Have you ever wondered what truly drives you to get out of bed and go to work every Monday? Or why some people genuinely enjoy that process, while others dread it? Author Samuel “Skip” Halbern has pondered these questions on a personal and collective level, leading him to write the book ‘Wellsprings of Work’.

Skip describes the book as having a glass-half-full perspective, pushing back on the notion that certain sectors of jobs are always soul-sucking. He also takes a deep dive into the so-called “great resignation” during the Covid pandemic, explaining some of the common reasons why people who quit their jobs did so.

Join us on the pod today for a great discussion about the average worker in the 21st-century marketplace. Topics today include the link between competition and play at work, finding fulfillment, and what a voicemail from Warren Buffett can teach us.

Quotes

• “If meaning is just electrochemical brain function, it doesn’t feel very meaningful” (21:30 - 21:35)

• “There’s gotta be an appreciation of what it’s like for the working person, regardless of profession. Does that person feel he or she gets respect on the job? That he or she has some degree of autonomy, some degree of dignity.” (28:15 - 28:34)

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

Don’t let the title of professor fool you into thinking that Mike Litman is simply an educator. In addition, he’s also a software entrepreneur, former D1 tennis player, crypto and VR consultant, and competitive eater just to name a few of his other pursuits.

During today’s episode, Mike explains his unique method for teaching computer programming languages. “How do human beings solve problems? We remember stuff, we ask a lot of questions, and we do repetition.” Using this formula, he says it’s often achievable to learn additional languages in just one weekend since all languages operate on similar principles of communication.

Join the Jo Bros as they chat with Dr. Litman about how technology affects us now and will do so even more in the future. Topics include the world of competitive eating, how to problem solve across the board, what VR could mean for education, and how to identify new talent.

Quotes

• “I teach computer programming from the perspective that the language does not matter” (13:04 - 13:08)

• “How do human beings solve problems? We remember stuff, we ask a lot of questions, and we do repetition.” (13:25 - 13:32)

• “I think that technology is something that we’re going to be leveraging more and more moving forward. Not just in education, but also in industry”

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

Living by the scriptural motto “to whom much is given, much is required”, Mark Lay knows the meaning of having much, as well as little. Born into a blue-collar family, Mark utilized his prowess in basketball to open a door at Columbia University. From there, Mark worked his way into the world of wall street, where he successfully handled a slew of large-scale clients.

At the peak of his success, however, Mark faced unjust imprisonment during a state-wide financial scandal. Rather than being bitter about the 10 years of life taken from him, Mark has used his own story as a launchpad to help others. Whether tackling food deserts or workforce development, Mark strives to make a positive and lasting impression on everyone he meets.

Be sure to listen in for this can’t-miss episode. In addition to sharing his incredible life story, Mark talks about the importance of forgiveness, why networking is so impactful, and how his personal faith has guided him.

Quotes

• "I really didn’t know I was poor until I got to Colombia. I thought the fact that I was the first kid on my block to have a Schwinn bike made me rich until my first college roommate said ‘Yeah my dad owns Korean Airlines and I have a Porsche’” (8:45 - 8:59)

• “Life is about taking advantage of opportunities as we’re given them” (9:10 - 9:14)

• “When I meet someone, I want them to either say, ‘I don’t want to talk to him again ever because he’s a total idiot, or I want them to say he’s the brightest guy I’ve ever met in my life. I really want to do business with him, I really want him in my life, I really want to know him.’ Those people in the middle we forget.” (12:46 - 13:04)

• “That’s the mission I’m on, to really be able to make a difference across the country in the lives of men and women in these distressed communities and let them know that there is hope” (26:52 - 27:01)

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

While completing a degree in business, Jonathan Dunnett had the opportunity to take on a research side gig, thus beginning his journey into the world of competitive intelligence. He has since founded Enable Leaders, a platform designed to grow and encourage leadership in the professional world. This is done through a focus on four key components: behavioral economics, decision-making, leadership, and psychology.

“I think we have a marketing issue in competitive intelligence,” Jonathan says. Often seemingly shrouded in mystery, the intelligence field simply boils down to decision-making. He discusses how breaking down competitive intelligence into language that people understand opens up the door for use across any sector or business.

Tune in to hear about the vision for Enable Leaders, what intelligence consultants need to improve upon, and the peaks and pitfalls of technology in the modern world.

Quotes

• “To me, a leader is anyone that wants to be a leader. It doesn’t mean you need to be a CEO. It’s down to if you lead yourself, you are leading.” (11:18 - 11:29)

• “More than ever, I think it’s important that we have a discriminating eye towards what’s really worth your time.” (17:17 -17:22)

• “What I’ve found through some of the work that I’ve been doing over the last number of years is when you talk about decision making, that suddenly becomes much more accessible to most people than if you say competitive intelligence.” (10:25-10:39)

ttps://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

Intuition is a key part of Lindy Smart’s career journey. As a first-generation college graduate in her family, she didn’t have the luxury of a career roadmap to get her to where she is today. Lindy completed her master's degree in Applied Intelligence from Mercyhurst and hasn’t looked back since. With over a decade of combined experience at Target, including time as their Director of Competitive Intelligence, Lindy was also an impactful member of the Aurora team from 2017 to 2018. She now begins the exciting journey as the Executive Director of Intelligence studies at her Alma mater.

Lindy shares some of the development that she’ll bring to the program, explaining how competitive intelligence can be the launchpad for building a diverse knowledge base in areas such as health, law, and supply chain structure. As she says, “The scope of what intelligence can do has broadened…It shouldn’t always be just to make recommendations for the decision maker.”

Jump in to hear insights from Lindy and the Jo bros regarding the future of competitive intelligence, the importance of speed and flexibility in today’s business climate, and what it can look like to forge a career path in the intelligence field.

Quotes

• “When we think about intelligence or corporate intelligence, it’s how do you build a profession for those students to span across the entire corporation?” (16:20 - 16:32)

• “The ability to ask better questions. I think that’s what intelligence brings to the table, not the right answers, but if you can get your leaders….to verbalize what it is that their concerns are, or what they really want to go after so that then they can act on it.” (22:49 - 23:26)

• “The more that we can coach our leaders and decision-makers to ask better questions, I think that just serves the entire organization to know what is really a concern or top of mind for where the organization needs to head to.” (23:36 - 23:53)

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

What they may lack in podcasting background, today’s show guests more than make up for with their years of valuable experience running a variety of war game simulations. From CBG to aerospace, Aurora’s own John Westberg and Tim Smith have walked companies through a multitude of scenarios, with many twists and turns along the way. John is the Director of Market Insights while Tim is the Director of Competitive Simulations. Together, they take us through some of their favorite simulations that they’ve been a part of over the years, extracting takeaways that can be applied across the board.

“If your company is or your organization is investing hundreds of millions of billions of dollars of capital into any sort of tactical merger, acquisition, or product launch, doing a competitive simulation should be table stakes. It’s amazing how many organizations don’t do that.” John says as he talks about the dangers of strategizing based on the status quo. Whether you’re a hundred-thousand-dollar company or a hundred-million-dollar company, setting aside one day to participate in a properly orchestrated war game can help weatherize your company for financial winter, avoid a product launch misstep, or reveal untapped markets.

Join us today as we look at why it is vital to align your tactics with your strategy during simulations, in what ways your legal department should be involved, and who should be in the room during a simulation.

Quotes

• “If you design a good war game, and you have the right levers to pull coming out of that and the right strategies in place, regardless of what really happens in the real world, you’re in a much better position than you would be otherwise.” (14:42 - 14:53)

• “Having the right people in the room, having all the key stakeholders that can really provide some solid input to where we’re going is critical.” (19:54 - 20:04)

• “War games are really to expose who might help or hinder you that you haven’t thought of yet." (28:46 - 28:53)

Links

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

“We lack CI programs in business school settings, both in the US and internationally and I think that's a deficiency for the profession,” says Dr. Tom Qingjiu Tao, the Assistant Professor of Strategy at the University of Delaware. Throughout his career in education, Dr. Tom has noticed that most Competitive Intelligence professionals are forced to learn more on the job because their education is limited. Finding this to be a disservice to students, Dr. Tom explains why real-world relevance is needed in the classroom to prepare recruits for the CI profession.

Dr. Tom recognizes that the CI academic track is a work in progress. With few programs out there and vital classes reduced to electives, students are graduating college unprepared for their future careers. Although Dr. Tom advocates for curriculum change, he understands that CI theory is still in development and that everyone has to start somewhere.

Tune into this week’s episode of Running Into the Fog for a fascinating conversation on the Competitive Intelligence education track. Learn more about Dr. Tom’s career in academia, why CI educators should cater their coursework to CI job listings, and the obstacle of CEOs making poor decisions.

Quotes

• “We lack CI courses or CI programs in business school settings, both in the US and internationally. I think that's a deficiency for the profession. We need to get to business school, and we need to build up the programs.” (3:17 - 3:38)

• “It is critically important that we research and teach the theory part. But we also need to bring real-world relevance to the classroom.” (5:00 - 5:13)

• “It comes down to accountability, not for CI professionals, but for decision-makers and the CEOs. We don't have clear transparency of their decision-making process and we don't hold them accountable for all their decisions.” (29:31 - 29:55)

• “20 years ago, many would say that CI is a covert operation that you do under the table. But you can tell in the last 10 years, that it has really become part of the mainstream vocabulary. People are recognizing that this is a legitimate business practice.” (35:58 - 36:32)

Links

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/qingjiutao/

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

View Details

“Every human being is made on purpose and for a purpose. Seek it,” says Bill Baker, Board Member and Vice President of Sauk Prairie Food Pantry and Youth Mentor. While studying at the University of Madison, Bill found his way to the crew team, a sport he credits for giving him the discipline to succeed in the business world. Now a youth mentor, Bill teaches his mentees to find their purpose and build the foundation for the rest of their lives.

Due to his lucrative career in sales and entrepreneurship, Bill realizes that human beings are led by two emotions: hope and fear. He also understands that you can help others find their purpose by using those two emotions positively. Ultimately, Bill wants young people to accept that self-worth comes from within, and by following your path, you can live a happy and fulfilling life.

Tune into this week’s episode of Running Into the Fog for an inspiring conversation about seeking your purpose. Learn more about how rowing influenced Bill’s worldview, the difference between activity and productivity, and why you need to take care of yourself first to be a better person to others.

Quotes

• “You have to go past your limits and find out what more you have inside you.” (11:30 - 11:36)

• “Find your purpose. Every human being is made on purpose and for a purpose. Seek it.” (20:10 - 20:18)

• “You can't motivate people. You have to inspire people. Motivation is an internal emotion, while inspiration is an external emotion. And we need to inspire more people.” (25:36 - 25:46)

• “The two emotions people have in life are hope and fear. I've concluded that people make decisions based on those two emotions. And you can use those as positive emotions to help people navigate their purpose.” (26:45 - 27:01)

• “You have to run through the fog of life to find your clear path. And in doing so, you're a better contributor, and you'll find greater satisfaction and contentment in life.” (36:15 - 36:32)

Links

Bill Baker LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-baker-00a943a/

• Social Media handles: wisconsintimberworks.com and #wisconsintimberworks (small business created to craft wood projects and fund my charities)

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

View Details

As a natural entrepreneurial leader, Angie Tulgus spent most of her career helping large corporations like GMC successfully navigate transformative moments. After many years of service, Angie decided to leave the corporate world and pursue her own dreams. Angie has since authored the book TransformAble and started her own business, where she uses her expertise to help small start-ups grow and scale their businesses.

According to Angie, to successfully transform your business you need to focus on its people. Not only do you want to get your employees excited about the future, but they need to adopt your vision for the future. The best way to get your employees on track is to focus on developing your leadership skills. If you are fully committed to your core values and the plan to change, your employees will also commit and in return, you are more likely to succeed in any project now and in the future.

Join the Johnson Brothers on this week’s episode of Running Into the Fog for an in-depth conversation about what it truly takes to transform your business. Learn more about the importance of leadership, commitment, and creating value so you can successfully take your business to the next level.

Quotes

• “During all these different transformative programs, I realized there was a pattern to what I was doing that was making me successful and I really just want to get that out.” (09:32-09:43)

• “It doesn't really matter what size of company you are if you're facing something big and complex that you've never done before, my book provides a roadmap for you to help figure out how to do that.” (10:44-10:52)

• “The core of successful transformation is all about people. It's about a system of people and how to take them on a journey to get to somewhere new that they haven't been before.” (11:49-12:00)

• “If the leaders of the company aren't serious about transformation, forget it.” (25:09-25:12)

• “It's amazing to me in small companies how quickly people get used to the way they've always done it. It really does not take long. And this is a big point that holds people back.” (30:03-30:16)

• “At the core of successful transformation, there are really three important things. One is commitment. One is knowing how to transform. And the third is keeping a focus on business value. If you can get those three things, you can pull it together.” (35:37-36:00)

• “If whatever you're doing isn't going to get you the business value anymore, then you're way off track no matter what.” (36:53-36:58)

Links

Website: https://tuglus.com/

Buy the book: https://tuglus.com/Transformable.html

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angie-tuglus-2809b02/

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

View Details

Ronnie Weston has always been inspired by her family's past to leave the world a better place. As an attorney and well-accomplished entrepreneur, Ronnie founded Bull Moose Group, a collaborative group of consultants that advise and help nonprofit organizations fulfill their missions. In today’s episode, Ronnie explains how to turn a nonprofit into an investable organization.

According to Ronnie, before you even think about raising a single dollar, you need to make sure your organization has a solid foundation. Not only do you need a good cause, but also great marketing, an exciting website, and a board that is competent in the fundraising process. Once you have a well-established organization, you can begin to focus on raising capital.

Join the Johnson Brothers on this week’s episode of Running Into the Fog for an in-depth discussion about the process of running nonprofits. Learn more about the importance of teamwork, branding, and how to overcome fear about fundraising so you can successfully raise capital that enriches the lives of the people in your community.

Quotes

• “Before we ever raise $1, all the I’s have to be dotted and the T's have to be crossed. You have to have an excellent governance model, great marketing materials, an exciting website, and you need to have a board that understands its role in the fundraising process.” (11:54-12:18)

• “The biggest gap in non-profits is nobody wants to ask for money.” (17:26-17:30)

• “The more people on the team, the more successful you're going to be.” (18:33-18:36)

• “According to all the gold standards of governance, one of your roles as a board member is to ensure the financial resources and part of that is fundraising.” (18:45-18:55)

• “The number one reason why people donate to nonprofits is that somebody they know and respect asked.” (23:47-23:54)

• “There are billions of dollars circulating through philanthropy right now. So if you don't ask for donations, somebody else will and they'll give.” (24:07-24:15)

• “Whether you entertain them or not, capital campaigns are the rising tide that lifts all boats.” (32:09-32:17)

Links

For Ronnie Weston:

Website: website: www.bullmoosegroup.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronnieweston

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik Johnson LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek Johnson LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

View Details

In this episode, co-hosts Arik and Derek Johnson catch up with an old friend, Eric Garland, Executive Director of Competitive Futures, to talk about the world of competitive intelligence. Eric dives into the complexities of competitive intelligence and how technology today gives us the resources to understand a plethora of information. Even though the internet is a great source of information, Eric emphasizes the importance of an “old school” information hub: Human Intelligence, or HUMINT, as it’s called in the field.

Eric also gives his perspectives on a daunting question: What do the 2020s bring? He explains that there are several spasms going on in the world right now and that radical transparencies in our technology are shaking existing institutions to the ground. He shares examples throughout history where technology was able to manipulate our opinions, our time usage, and our everyday lives.

Tune into this week’s episode of Running Into the Fog with special guest Eric Garland. Learn more about the importance of senior intelligence, Eric’s reason for working in the world of intelligence, and the technological history behind many world events.

Quotes

• “I got my start in the world of competitive intelligence as an operative and analyst collecting information on competitors, and taking that back to the office and analyzing it to figure out what people's competitors were up to, to tell them what to do.” (02:12-02:20)

• “I still ask what don't I know out there, what's published, what are other people reading, and what's really going on? So, I still use human intelligence methodology for that. Or as I have a T-shirt printed up: HUMINT. We just asked the guy.” (03:37-03:50)

• “All of that radical transparency is causing every institution we have to be shaken to the ground.” (14:38-14:44)

• “Well, there's only so much disillusionment that humans can take at any given time and kind of keep it together. I think sometimes when you have total disillusionment, and you overthrow everything at once, it doesn't always work so well.” (24:26-24:38)

• “I think as we learn more about the role of corporations and some of these anti-democratic movements of recent, that's gonna shake a lot of people's confidence because this internet thing is cool.” (33:50-33:58)

Links

Connect with Eric:

Twitter | https://twitter.com/ericgarland

Website | https://www.ericgarland.co/

LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-garland-a1338b99

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

View Details

In a world with easy access to others, there is a lack of human connection. And while everyone is a neighbor to someone, most people aren’t neighboring. In today’s episode, married duo Jeff and Amy Meyer sit down with the Johnson Brothers to discuss how to overcome isolation and find a connection with those around you.

In a digital and oftentimes material world, it can be easy to lose sight of what really matters. While we spend a lot of our time working and doing activities we enjoy, the places we inhabit are meant for us to relate with other human beings. According to the Meyer’s, one of the easiest and most meaningful gifts we can give to someone else is knowing their name. Just by taking the time to learn someone’s name, we allow ourselves to slow down, see others as human, and begin to form a connection with something greater than ourselves.

Join the Johnson Brothers and the Meyers for an in-depth conversation about human connection. Learn more about the importance of journaling, active listening, and what it truly means to be a neighbor so you can create sustainable and lasting relationships with the people around you.

Quotes

• “A lot of people don't believe they can turn their passion into a life and make a living out of it, and we're helping people do that.” (04:31-04:39 | Jeff)

• “Just having more information doesn't produce fruit unless you put it into practice.” (06:10-06:17 | Jeff)

• “We forget how far we've come and we forget what hard things we've been in before. We get very short-sighted and unless you write it down, you're going to forget.” (13:04-13:20 | Amy)

• “The core problem is isolation and lack of human connection. The biggest way that we can attack this problem is by turning neighbor from a noun into a verb.” (19:33-19:51 | Jeff)

• “The sweetest word to anyone's ears is the sound of their own name. And to be known and called by name is a gift that we can give to people, but we don't know their name unless we ask or if we take the time to slow down and appreciate them.” (23:24-23:37 | Amy)

• “The places we inhabit, we're there for a reason. And it's not just to live or to enjoy our time or to make a living. It's to interconnect with other human beings.” (25:18-25:28 | Jeff)

• “Once you start taking steps into the fog, you can see it opening up.” (50:42-50:46 | Jeff)

Links

Connect with Amy:

Website – www.amymeyer.org

Email – amycmeyer10@gmail.com

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/joyrestored/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/amymeyer.org

Phone – 608.217.9967

Connect with Jeff:

Website – www.jeffmeyer.org

Book Link – https://jeffmeyer.org/product/fear-not-dream-big-execute/

Dream Accelerator Link – https://jeffmeyer.org/dream-accelerator/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/jeffmeyer222/

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/jeffmeyer22/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/jeffmeyer22

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffmeyer22/

Neighboring Life Website – www.neighboringlife.com

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

View Details

Kathy Henrich understands the role the tech industry plays better than most people. After spending 30 years working at IBM, Kathy realized there was a bigger problem that needed to be addressed: talent development. She ultimately decided to take a leave of absence to attain a master’s degree in workforce and talent development. Today, Kathy sits as CEO of MKE Tech Hub Coalition where she works to create inclusive opportunities in the tech industry for young people in the Milwaukee area.

Even though the tech industry makes up almost 10% of Wisconsin’s economy, there is a lack of talented employees. According to Kathy, the best way to recruit talent is to nurture it from a young age. This is why it would benefit all schools to incorporate computer science into their curriculum. Kathy explains that encouraging kids of diverse backgrounds to embrace the value of technology opens pathways to employment that can positively impact not only the individual but the industry as a whole.

Join the Johnson Brothers on this week’s episode of Running into the Fog for a conversation with Kathy Henrich about the depth of the tech industry. Learn more about why Kathy and the MKE Tech Hub Coalition believe diversity, recruitment, and development of talent are the keys to paving the future for technology in the Milwaukee area and beyond.

Quotes

• “The mission of the coalition is to inclusively double tech talent in the Milwaukee region.” (04:48-04:53)

• “We actually infused a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion including a very specific target of at least 50% of everyone we serve coming from demographics that have been traditionally underrepresented in tech.” (07:34-07:50)

• “Having an effective coalition means working together in ways that bring the best skill sets from other organizations forward to deliver.” (12:53-13:06)

• “The Milwaukee region has a huge asset. We actually have the sixth-highest concentration of college students per capita.” (22:42-22:50)

• “Tech is nine and a half percent of our economy.” (27:35-27:38)

Links

Connect with Kathy:

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathyhenrich/

Website – https://www.mketech.org/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/kshenri

Instagram – @kshenri and @Kathyhenrich

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

View Details

“I am fascinated by the idea of how to build trust and safe spaces in the online world,” says Todd Nilson. Growing up, Todd was never interested in playing sports. Instead, he found himself enamored with both tabletop games and immersive online games. As president and community strategist at Clocktower Advisors, Todd combines his passions for gamification and community-building by helping companies create and run digital workplaces that deepen trust, increase loyalty, and promote innovation.

In a continuously advancing world, more and more people are connecting online through various social media platforms. While these platforms successfully spread information, they lack the feeling of an authentic community. According to Todd, creating a safe space online is dependent on transparency, good management practices, and a community with common interests. If properly executed, online immersive communities have the potential to change the way we interact in every aspect of our lives.

Join the Johnson Brothers on this week’s episode of Running Into the Fog for a conversation with Todd Nilson. Learn more about the differences between social media and online communities, the importance of positive engagement, and where experts like Todd believe the future of online interactions is headed.

Quotes

• “I'm fascinated by the idea of how to build trust and safe spaces in the online world where people can meaningfully get together and connect and do things with each other when geography makes it impossible.” (08:31-08:49)

• “I don't think of social media platforms as communities.” (14:58-15:00)

• “What makes online communities work is that there are clear boundaries of who belongs here and who doesn't.” (26:44-26:49)

• “I think that we're going to see a strong migration away from some of the large platforms to more of these private community social experiences simply because we want to be around people that we can trust.” (27:27-27:52)

• “What I'm loving about NFTs is that they're offering something that is a unique marker of accomplishment, recognizing participation, and then offering equity in that community.” (37:23-37:40)

• “We're not only building communities of people who have common values with each other, but they're also geographically close to each other.” (42:22-42:28)

• “These online spaces are play spaces where we can experiment with identities.” (48:45-48:54)

Links

Connect with Todd:

Personal LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/tnilson

Company Page on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/clocktower-advisors/

Personal Twitter | https://twitter.com/toddnilson

Company Twitter | https://twitter.com/ClocktowerAdv

Facebook Page | https://www.facebook.com/clocktoweradvisors

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/clocktoweradvisors/

Mobile | +1.414.378.2083

Email | todd@clocktoweradvisors.com

Schedule a meeting with Todd:

Short meeting: https://calendly.com/clocktower-advisors/30min

Long meeting: https://calendly.com/clocktower-advisors/60min

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

View Details

“Everyone has privilege, but it’s how you use your privilege that matters,” says Jasmine M. Johnson. Jasmine works full-time as the Vice President of Sales at iHeartMedia and uses the privilege of her network to give back to the community. As director of the non-profit organization WeExist, Jasmine is dedicated to providing exposure to minority professionals in the Milwaukee area in hopes of creating equitable job opportunities.

While everyone has a sense of privilege, most people tend to do nothing with it. Rather than allowing generational injustice to continue, Jasmine uses her privileges to better the community around her. Jasmine understands that visibility is key to advancing your career. By increasing exposure for minority professionals, Jasmine hopes to see people of color included in spaces they historically wouldn’t be in. If everyone took advantage of their privilege, Jasmine explains that we could leave behind a legacy of advocacy and excellence for generations to come.

Join the Johnson Brothers on this week’s episode of Running Into the Fog for a conversation with Jasmine Johnson. Learn more about the importance of servant leadership, diversity in the workforce, and how to leverage your privilege to advocate for what’s right.

Quotes

• “During COVID-19 and quarantine, the gift of recalibration and reflection we were given showed me the privilege that I have.” (09:45-09:59)

• “I come from a legacy and heritage of advocacy and expectation of excellence.” (11:58-12:03)

• “To me, privilege is the platform of which you've been blessed to be on. Everyone should be a service leader and practice servant leadership by living a Christian life of service to others.” (13:11-13:27)

• “Some people sit on their privilege and they don't leverage that platform to be a blessing to others. And when you do that, are you really walking with a sense of purpose?” (13:50-14:01)

• “Giving talented people the opportunity to compete is how you eliminate the wealth gap. It also gives the opportunity for people to continue to grow and thrive professionally, which ultimately increases household income and creates generational wealth.” (29:36-29:57)

• “Because many professional people of color are not allowed or invited in those circles, or are on the golf course, or get the stretch assignments, they can never be truly considered. So I look at WeExist as the gift of giving exposure.” (31:31-31:51)

• “I think intentional partnerships is also what activates and takes someone to the next level from being an ally to wholeheartedly being an accomplice.” (41:18-41:29)

Links

Connect with Jasmine:

Linkedin | https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasmine-m-johnson-msm-33699350/detail/photo/

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

View Details

As a teenager, Jesse Ntihemuka immigrated from Rwanda to the United States at the age of 14, in pursuit of his dream of playing in the NBA. When his body (through injuries) had other ideas for him, Jesse pivoted his mindset to pursue higher education. His college experience is coming to a close in the near future, and he is preparing to go pro within the intersections of finance and technology. In today’s episode, Jesse dives into his realities of being an immigrant in America pursuing his dreams.

When it comes to his goals, Jesse isn’t motivated by money or power. Instead, Jesse motivates himself with a positive mindset and the intention to create change. Whether it's in basketball, his MBA program, or working as an intern, Jesse is deeply committed to showing up prepared and eager to learn. Starting a career is nerve-wracking, but Jesse is optimistic about the future of technology and his role in improving the quality of life for his family in Rwanda.

Join the Johnson Brothers on this week’s episode of Running Into the Fog for a conversation with Jesse Ntihmuka. Learn about the importance of meaningful work, the role of a good support system, and Jesse’s plans that will guide him to success.

Quotes

• “Meaningful work for me is being able to work my hardest and reach the highest level I can.” (12:22-12:31)

• “What really sets me apart is the amount of time and the amount of preparation that I put in everything.” (18:36-18:47)

• “I try to show that I've put in some work, but I’m always willing and open to learning more.” (21:20-21:27)

• “I’m still trying to learn what it takes to build a business here. I know it takes a lot, and I’m certainly ready to take it on because I see myself doing something entrepreneurial in the future.” (31:58-32:15)

• “I’m happy that I've had a support system with me the whole time to always motivate me and help put me on the path where I can reach my potential.” (36:33-36:44)

• “I'm looking forward to that learning curve, especially with new technologies and how fast it's evolving. I hope to not just keep pace with it, but try and stay ahead of it to exploit some of the opportunities that may present themselves.” (40:06-40:24)

Links

Connect with Jesse:

Twitter | https://twitter.com/ntihemukaj?lang=en

Linkedin | https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessentihemuka

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

View Details

“Pre-pandemic, in-person events contributed roughly $396 billion a year to the GDP,” says Tommy Goodwin, Vice President of Government Affairs for the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA). The loss of in-person business events has been devastating to millions of people and companies worldwide. With more than 20 years of experience in public relations, Tommy’s role is to work side by side with policymakers to help with the recovery and advancement of in-person business events.

According to Tommy, the tradeshow industry may be the largest and most important industry in the world. Not only are there millions of dollars in direct spending, but the events business provides millions of jobs to the American people. Even though we have mastered online education, Tommy explains that face-to-face events provide unique opportunities that online platforms can’t. To protect our economies and small businesses, we must work to safely return attendees and exhibitors back to face-to-face events.

Tune into this week’s episode of Running into the Fog for a conversation with Tommy Goodwin about the effects of in-person events on our economy. Learn more about the ECA, the importance of in-person connection, and what Tommy believes the future of business networking looks like.

Quotes

• “We have 1.7 million vendors at shows every year and 80% of them are small businesses. These people are looking to make relationships, they're looking to grow and cultivate their business in a way that they normally can not do.” (05:09-05:20)

• “We have done a pretty solid one-way proof of concept that education can be delivered in a digital format, but community and connections can’t be.” (06:04-06:13)

• “That's why we break bread at these different events because it allows people to develop the trust they need to do business with each other and you just can't do that off the jump online.” (15:17-15:27)

• “As long as international restrictions are in place, we're putting a significant impediment and barrier into the ability to do business face-to-face.” (20:02-20:11)

• “Just going from zero to wherever they are in the maturity cycle of regrowing these events is a tremendous boom to local communities.” (32:34-32:44)

Links

Connect with Tommy:

Twitter | https://twitter.com/tommygoodwin

Linkedin | https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommygoodwin

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

View Details

Marshall Wayne, “The Mounting Man,” has spent most of his career marketing live events for successful entrepreneurs. When the pandemic hit and live, in-person events were temporarily shut down, Marshall had to think outside of the box for ways to replace his lost revenue. Marshall realized that he could make more than enough money to support his family by helping people in his community mount their TVs. Using his expertise in marketing, Marshall has grown his business to fully replace his income at the agency in just a little over a year.

When Marshall was brainstorming business ideas, it was important for him to have a flexible schedule. With the pandemic in full force and daycare slots being limited, Marshall had to be home to help his fiance take care of their daughter. This is when Marshall learned how to mount his own TV and quickly understood that he could make great money in a short amount of time. While he wants to stick primarily to mounting TVs, Marshall realizes there are other opportunities to make money helping people around their homes. Even though Marshall has encountered many challenges with TV mounting, he has always found a way to get the job done.

Join the Johnson Brothers and Marshall Wayne on this week’s episode of Running Into the Fog to hear how The Mounting Man came to be. Learn more about the issues that Marshall has encountered in his first year of business, his plans to expand, and how he utilized his skills to pivot his career in a completely different direction.

Quotes

• “If you're good at marketing, you can market anything.” (03:35-03:37)

• “All the things that I market for the agency are live events, and so during COVID that just went to zero. The revenue didn't go to zero, but it went to like a quarter and that's essentially zero.” (05:35-05:49)

• “Mounting TVs is what made the most money for the least amount of time.” (06:32-06:35)

• “I am a lot pickier about what I take on for the agency because I can just go make another $1,000 today mounting TVs.” (18:34-18:40)

• “I don't expect somebody to treat my business the way I would treat it because I'm making the money. It's my baby. But you have to have some sort of level for your employees to reach.” (32:24-32:35)

• “I want to stick to TV mountain primarily, but I want all the other upsells that I could have. Because once a person has two or three TVs mounted in their house, they're not going to have 10 TVs so I don't have repeat business from the same people unless I branch out a little bit.” (40:40-41:02)

Links

Connect with Marshall:

Linkedin | https://www.linkedin.com/in/marshallwayne/

Website | http://themountingman.tv/

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

View Details

“The reason you work in a drug company is for patients,” says Clifford Kalb, President of C. Kalb & Associates, LLC. Clifford has dedicated the last four decades of his life to improving intelligence in the pharmaceutical industry. His wide range of experience has given him opportunities to work at the executive level for many of the well-known pharma companies, including Pfizer. Clifford’s passion for innovation and leadership in the industry was solidified after his life was saved by a drug he helped get on the market. Today, Clifford proudly owns and operates his own pharma consultancy where he assists clients in ethically overcoming industry issues to provide better health solutions.

Eleven years ago, Clifford was diagnosed with an incredibly rare back disease. In fact, he was one of only twenty people to receive this diagnosis during the 21st century. While Clifford’s initial chance of survival looked bleak, he and his doctor decided to take a risk and try a drug that was new to the market. Ultimately, it was Clifford’s trust in his product’s mission that granted him a second chance at life. Even though there are many misconceptions about the morals of the industry, Clifford explains that the number one goal isn’t to create a profit, but rather to develop solutions that save lives.

Join the Johnson Brothers and Clifford Kalb on this week’s episode of Running into the Fog to hear about Clifford’s experience with the pharmaceutical industry from the perspective of a leader and a patient. Learn more about key industry topics and how intelligence is working to create a safer and healthier world for generations to come.

Quotes

• “The reason you work in a drug company is for patients. It's not all about making money. It's not all about ultimately coming up with the best dosage form or the most competitive marketing plan or the most developed R&D program. It's about helping people to either return from an illness or to prevent them from getting one.” (07:56-08:19)

• “I wouldn't be here telling you about the pharmaceutical industry and my travels through it if it wasn't for this medicine, which saved my life.” (09:06-09:18)

• “Because of this mRNA technology that you've heard about, which has never been tried before to produce a vaccine, many steps in vaccine development are completely eliminated. Which means the future of vaccine development is going to now follow the mRNA pattern. And the old technology will be dropped.” (29:02-29:23)

• “85% of the US market is treated with generic drugs and 15% of it is treated with branded drugs.”(47:45-47:52).

• “At the end of the day, the marketing R&D interface inside the drug company is probably the single most important one to work.” (56:56-57:04)

Links

https://www.cifellows.com/about-us/members/clifford-kalb/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cliffordkalb/

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

View Details

“As leaders, not only do we control the narrative, but we have to be constant purveyors of hope,” says Bill Mitchell, COO for MoreTalent Corporation. For the past 25 years, Bill has worked with hundreds of corporations and high-level executives to develop ethical practices that produce sustainable success. His unique insights have helped struggling clients to effectively lead their businesses through the troubling COVID-19 pandemic.

In politics, whoever is in control of the narrative has the upper hand; according to Bill, the same could be said for business. While it may be easier to get distracted in the midst of a global pandemic, a strong leader will concentrate on maintaining the company’s narrative at all times by working to keep their employees focused. Leaders have a duty to lead their people in good faith, so before you begin to enforce any organization’s narrative, Bill explains that you must first confront brutal facts and base your objectives on truth. But above all else, the biggest role of a leader is to convey a sense of hope.

Join the Jo Bros and Bill Mitchell on this week’s episode of Running Into the Fog to learn more about the rules of effective leadership, the importance of hope, and how to create a business that thrives in the chaos of a constantly changing world.

Quotes

• “The bottom line is the effective executives are going to spend about 80% of their time working on the business and not in it.” (06:26-06:38)

• “For people who are longing for yesterday or hoping for a better tomorrow, I would suggest to them to figure out this is what it is. We make the best of what it is, we learn from yesterday, and we prepare for tomorrow, but we live in the moment. And I think it's important as businesses that we understand that more than ever.” (07:00-07:19)

• “When we don't have control of many things, we've got to make sure we have full control of the things we can.” (07:51-07:55)

• “In times of uncertainty, the best thing we can do is stick to what we know.” (20:33-20:42)

• “As leaders,not only do we control the narrative, but we have to be constant purveyors of hope.” (25:30-25:34)

Links

https://moretalent.com/success-experts/dr-bill-mitchell/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-bill-mitchell-8a7745143/

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

View Details

“I think CI needs to evolve faster than it is currently evolving.” says Rostyk Hursky, Director of Impact and Strategy at Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF). In his years of experience, Rostyk has dedicated himself to providing more advanced strategic and foresight services to the organizations he serves. Rostyk finds pride in his work by pushing the boundaries of the traditional approach to CI in hopes of creating outcomes that benefit both stakeholders and consumers.

Competitive intelligence, or collaborative intelligence as Rostyk calls it, is constantly working to identify existing problems in order to create viable solutions that increase a company’s profits. According to Rostyk, if we take a humanistic approach to intelligence, we will see better results. He suggests the best way to achieve this is by collaborating with as many people as you can along the way. Understanding diverse perspectives will allow CI to be more effective in organizing and addressing the actual wants and needs of an audience on a vast scale.

In an ideal world, representatives from across the board would play a role in CI. Join the Jo Bros on this week’s episode of Running Into the Fog for a conversation with Rostyk Hursky about his passion for catalyzing change in CI. Learn more about the role of CI in our daily lives, the importance of collaboration, and why Rostyk believes that intelligence is capable of creating a better future for generations to come!

Quotes

• “I think CI needs to evolve faster than it is currently evolving.” (16:46-16:51)

• “CI needs to be pushed beyond the boundaries and limitations. It needs to be cross-functional, cross-organizational and cross-sectoral.” (17:24-17:35)

• “But to me, competitive intelligence, or as I call it collaborative intelligence, is really working towards not necessarily just making our organizations better and profitable, but making the world a better place for us, for our families, and for our children to grow up into.” (18:21-18:40)

• “We're working together to maximize a future reality based on understanding the points of view of everyone who has a stake in this currently.” (24:25-24:34)

Links

Connect with Rostyk Hursky:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rostyk-hursky-156266a/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rostyk007?lang=en

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

View Details

“After starting my new venture in the diamond business, I’m so glad that I had a foundation in CI,” says Joanna Park-Tonks, Founder of Chelsea Rocks. “I think business requires knowing the right questions to ask and knowing where to look for the answers.” While Joanna began her career as a Competitive Intelligence Analyst, she is now pursuing new business opportunities with her company Chelsea Rocks. Offering lab-grown diamonds, Joanna’s retail business provides beauty and sustainability and aims to educate others in the diamond industry on this forward-thinking method.

Joanna tells us that her career in the CI world and her new entrepreneurial journey are united by her love of people. In her CI role, Joanna enjoyed acting as an investigative journalist, gleaning information by listening to what others had to tell her and reading between the lines. Joanna’s mastery of German, French and Italian also gave her the unique opportunity to apply all three languages to her career in CI. Now, Joanna has discovered a new language in the jewelry she creates, which targets ethical and design-conscious luxury customers.

Tune into this week’s episode of Running Into the Fog for a conversation with Joanna about her transition into the jewelry space. Learn more about the overlaps between Joanna’s CI and entrepreneurial roles, the applications of sustainability in the jewelry world, and how the language of jewelry continues to inspire Joanna each and every day.

Quotes

• “And so, I've always sort of approached CI almost as an investigative journalist because I just find people endlessly fascinating: how they talk, what they tell you, what they don't tell you. And for me, it was just ferreting out that information, which was just endlessly fascinating.” (7:22-7:41)

• “Jewelry is in itself, in my opinion, a language. If you look at ancient and tribal cultures, jewelry was used in all sorts of contexts, for barter, for religion, for symbolism, for ceremony.” (14:03-14:22)

• “I think that diamonds, because of their visual appeal, will always be a symbol of celebration. And I think that the thing that has changed the worship in diamonds is that there's this whole shift around. If you look at what's happened with hybrid cars and vegan leather and even the milk industry, which is now 25% plant based, I think that there is this massive shift towards sustainability, and asking some quite tough, clear-eyed questions about what one is buying and the provenance of what one is buying.”(15:54-16:33)

• “My approach to Chelsea Rocks...is that I'm actually working with highly talented gemologist Helen Dimmick from the UK who's got a national profile. Together, we really tried to create an education-led approach. So, in addition to the podcasts, we've also, got a lot of articles, you know, third-party verification certification.”(23:43-24:13)

• “But that sort of empathy and that concern and that caring...that's the very essence of Chelsea rocks and how I wish to live my life and conduct my business.” (27:56-28:10)

Links

Connect with Joanna Park-Tonks:

• Website: www.chelsea-rocks.com

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannaparktonks/

• Twitter: @JoannaParkTonks

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

View Details

Rob Verhelst, aka Fireman Rob, was a two-sport collegiate athlete, playing both basketball and water polo. Post-graduation, he immediately joined his local fire department as a way to have a positive impact on his community. After just a year of service, Rob was sent to work search and recovery at Ground Zero only one day after the Twin Towers tragically fell. Nothing in his short 23 years of life could have prepared him for this moment, and it completely changed the trajectory of his life. While Rob has suffered many dark days, his service in NYC ultimately led him to discover meaning in his life.

Decades after 911, Rob now inspires people around the globe by speaking, delivering training, and competing in Ironman races while wearing 50 pounds of firefighter gear. He firmly believes that if you find your passion, you are more likely to take ownership of your actions, make more grounded decisions, and maintain resilience in the face of adversity.

As Rob has moved further along in his entrepreneurial journey, he has learned that his services aren’t right for everyone. He is not motivated by money and maintains a genuine reputation by only accepting clients that he believes he can successfully coach. Rob’s approach to purpose-driven success helps his clients discover uncomfortable and unrecognized limitations and effective strategies that can be used to build mental strength.

Join the Jo Bros on this week’s episode of Running Into the Fog to hear how Fireman Rob found success in the fire. Learn how to take control of your fears by living an action-based lifestyle, so you can become an impactful leader that is driven by purpose and passion.

Quotes

• “What you want to do with your life is leave a legacy. I always say it's not how successful you are, it's how much value you end in your life.” (07:03-07:11)

• “And when I started speaking, it was very hard to tell my story because it's not crafting it, it's being vulnerable enough to tell people your mistakes, tell people that you are fallible, but at the same time the high points, you know, those are just gleaming moments in the whole thing.” (09:45-10:04)

• “It's not what you get, it's what you do with what you get.” (13:34-13:39)

• “If you find your passion and purpose, you're more likely to take ownership of all your actions or inactions or words, which will correlate to actually making good decisions. And when you start to make good decisions, you have to have the emotional control to actually back up those decisions, and not steer yourself clear of that. Because when you have that emotional control, you can maintain that resilience, even in the challenges even in the darkness, even in the struggles to have faith in yourself over the fears that have driven you before. And inevitably, that correlates exactly to your mental strength that all of us are looking for.” (36:54-37:31)

• “Those trials and tribulations, the peaks, the valleys, the dark moments, the extremely dark moments, those are what create a person. That's what creates a human that's going to be somebody who can impact lives.” (40:46-42:00)

Links

https://www.firemanrob.com/

https://twitter.com/TeamFiremanRob

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing

View Details

Ellen Naylor began her career in competitive intelligence in 1985 at Bell Atlantic, now known as Verizon. Originally working in sales, Ellen talked her way into a CI role, which she held for the next five years. Eventually, Ellen transitioned to a position with Northwest Airlines, where she quickly realized that she was unsatisfied, but couldn’t quite put a finger on why. It wasn't until Ellen took a trip back home to Japan that she finally understood her frustrations with corporate and went on to start her own business, Business Intelligence Source.

More recently, Ellen also wrote a book titled Win/Loss Analysis: How to Capture and Keep the Business You Want. In Ellen’s opinion, not enough companies are incorporating Win/Loss Analysis into their business structure. Her book aims to prevent companies from focusing too much on their wins and instructs them on how best to learn from their losses.

Ellen tells us that she never imagined that she would be a business owner or an author until she stepped back into a place that made her feel grounded. She suggests that anyone who is unhappy with their current situation take some time to intentionally reflect while doing something that brings them joy.

Join the Jo Bros on this week’s episode of Running Into the Fog for a conversation with Ellen Naylor about career transitions. Learn more about the effectiveness of the Win/Loss Analysis, the importance of feeling fulfilled in your current space and place, and how a three-week trip to Japan turned Ellen from a corporate employee into an entrepreneur.

Quotes

• “So I wanted to go back to Japan where I grew up, and I hadn’t been there for 21 years...and while I was there, that was somewhat life changing because I had thought I would go back and get another corporate job. And I realized I just could not do that. It just wasn’t going to work, I was not the corporate type. I was done” (5:53-6:15)

• “Not enough companies are doing [Win/Loss Analysis]. They think they know why they're winning and losing deals, especially why they're winning them. It's a riot.” (14:40-14:48)

• “I like to have the person at the other end of the line or Zoom feel better by the end of our conversation than they did when we said hello, which is very simple. But it's pretty effective, actually, whether you're doing competitive research or having a conversation.” (25:22-25:38)

• “I think the real thing that hit me was I was back to my youth, I was back to where I was grounded….And you know, when you're grounded, you can't fool yourself.” (47:08-47:28)

• “So, I think I say for the listeners, you know, give yourself the time, the space, and the place...if you're very unhappy with where you are. And don't settle for being unhappy where you are.” (48:50-49:05)

Links

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellennaylorcolorado/

@EllenNaylor

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing

View Details

“In Intel, we really do need to challenge ourselves, challenge our assumptions, and challenge our worldviews and perspectives, so that we can achieve greater clarity,” says Cynthia Cheng Correia, Managing Director of Knowledge InForm and Founding President of the Council of Competitive Intelligence Fellows. This approach is particularly crucial after the tumultuous year we’ve had, which, according to Cynthia, has been a glaring reminder of the importance of foresight and Intel in our modern-day world.

As a long-time educator and leader in the competitive intelligence field, Cynthia has a deep understanding of the gaps that need to be filled in Intel. Cynthia has worked with her fair share of individuals with strong informational backgrounds, who have a tendency to favor acquisition and research over what happens afterwards. Cynthia notes that intelligence analysts need to move beyond a focus on research alone and instead cultivate an Intel mindset to ensure that they don’t become stuck in gathering mode. True CI competency requires the ability to generate intel, not just info.

Join the Jo Bros on this week’s episode of Running Into the Fog for a conversation with Cynthia about catalyzing innovation in the realm of CI. Learn about the power of the reference interview, the cross-fertilization of government and commercial intel, and the battle against attentional and expectation biases in the Intel field. You’ll even learn how Host Derek Johnson exposed Cynthia’s secret musical career at the 2019 SLA Annual Conference! Tune in to learn more.

Quotes

• “In Intel, we really do need to challenge ourselves, challenge our assumptions, challenge our worldviews and perspectives, so that we can really achieve greater clarity.” (03:55-04:04)
• “[As we bring people through the SLA certification program, we focus on] trying to minimize those biases and cultivate that intelligence mindset and helping them see the practice more holistically, so that we can overcome that tendency to just want to focus on research.” (18:24-18:36)
• “If we’re not challenging our own lines of thinking, we’re susceptible to missing a lot of what is important. I think it’s important that we try to be as evidence-based as possible in how we find solutions.” (37:35-37:50)
• “I think that one of the things that Intel pros are excellent at is the idea that we can take a broader view. We're trained in trying to understand the broader perspective, so that we can take a longer view of problems and issues.” (39:17- 39:34)
• “Everything about 2020 teaches us the importance of Intel and foresight.” (41:05-41:10)
• “When we’re working at the entity level...we also really need to look at this and understand: how am I being driven by my personal interests or managerial interests versus a broader interest in the organization or even organization at different periods in time as we look outward in different time horizons? So these are the types of things we have to challenge ourselves all the time. We’re in constant tension to our inherent biases and inherent wishes versus the reality that's out there. So, perspectives are important.” (47:38-48:19)

Links

Twitter – @TheCIFellows

Twitter – @chengcorreia

http://www.knowledgeinform.com

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing

View Details

“Teachers default to practices that they experienced themselves as a student,” explains Heather Kenny, President of Unleashed Innovation, Inc. and Creator of Sounder & Friends™. Educator turned entrepreneur, Heather has a deep understanding of the power of literacy to inform one’s life trajectory. Unfortunately, progress is quite slow in the educational world surrounding evidence-based practices; instead, new teachers tend to revert back to the strategies that they encountered as students, which are oftentimes out-of-date and not nearly as effective as newer models.

Heather first began to develop her passion for literacy as a kindergarten teacher at an overcrowded elementary school. In this role, she quickly realized that the most important gift she could give her students was the gift of literacy. One of Heather’s coworkers at the time learned about the concept of phonemic awareness, which is the ability to hear and play with individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken words. Heather began brainstorming ways she could introduce a great focus on phonemic awareness into her classroom to lay the groundwork for her students’ future reading instruction.

Fast forward to 2021, Heather has now created an engaging and entertaining way for kids to develop their phonemic awareness in the form of Sounder & Friends™, an educational adventure show. Tune into this week’s episode of Running Into the Fog for a conversation with Heather about literacy, phonemic awareness and her journey from educator to entrepreneur.

Quotes

• “If children aren’t entertained, then they’re not going to want to watch it again. And if we don’t have their attention, then we can’t teach them anything.” (28:16-28:22)

• “Ours is a highly literate society, and in order to have access and to be considered a full-fledged, contributing, respected member of that society, you have to be literate. Otherwise, there's this incredible sense of shame that you carry around with you. What learners tend to do is they tend to internalize it...and as a result, there's a sense of overwhelming shame… So, if you can imagine what that's like to go through your entire life, feeling this sense of shame, feeling like there's this terrible secret that you can't let anybody in on.” (34:22-35:23)

• “If we can develop these skills, and we can make parents and teachers aware of how important it is that they develop proficiency early on, then children's brains will be primed for reading by the time they get to first grade, kindergarten even, when reading instruction really begins in earnest.” (40:27-40:43)

• “Phonemic awareness is particularly relevant to children who are at risk for experiencing reading difficulties. And children in that adoptive category definitely fall into that category as at risk.” (46:25-46:39)

• “If a child is floundering, we should be stepping in and giving them supports. If they're not able to do it on their own, that means they don't have the right support structure in place. So either the task is far too difficult or we're not providing the right kinds of supports.” (49:34-49:46)

Links:

Connect with Unleashed Innovation:

• Website: https://www.unleashed-innovation.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unleashed-innovation/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UnleashedInnovation/

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/unleashed_inno

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unleashed_innovation/

Connect with Sounder & Friends™:

• Store: https://store.sounderandfriends.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/70050966/admin/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SounderFriends/

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/friendssounder

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sounder_and_friends/

• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sounder_and_friends

• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEhiYc9ALWque3nVTQhvmHw

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing

View Details

Mike Moh grew up as a minority in a predominantly white suburb and recognized from an early age that he was different. But rather than fading into the background, Mike instead became the class clown and got involved in a wide range of community activities. However, it wasn’t until Mike began taking taekwondo classes at his local dojo that he began to fully understand what true passion feels like. Since then, martial arts has become the foundation of Mike’s life, and he has made it his mission to pass his passion along to others.

Mike’s martial arts training also helped him jumpstart his acting career, which he pursued in full force during his early 20s. Mike’s roles have ranged from working as a stuntman with Jackie Chan on the film “Robin-B-Hood” to small appearances in several commercials and TV shows to his most recent appearance as Bruce Lee in “Once Upon a Time...In Hollywood.” Mike explains that acting has required a great degree of mental toughness since the rate of rejection is so high. Luckily, this is a skill that he has been cultivating for decades as part of his taekwondo training.

Join the Jo Bros on this week’s episode of Running Into the Fog for a conversation with Mike Moh about finding opportunities within every challenge. Learn about the successes and roadblocks Mike has faced as an Asian American in the movie industry, the joy he finds in being underestimated, and how he has managed to create a thriving martial arts school in the small town of Waunakee, WI against all odds.

Quotes

• “So all we can do is respond, and respond with, you know, whether it's a kick or punch, we've got to respond and counter. And that's what we did. And, you know, there's going to be more challenges in the future and knowing that we can navigate this one, which was a pretty tough one – we can handle it all.” (6:00-6:17)

• “I got a call from Jackie Chan’s people…. Then fast forward a month, I'm in Hong Kong on my first-ever movie set with Jackie Chan, one of the guys that I idolized.” (17:05-17:20)

• “I'm not a scholar in this area, but I know for a fact most people go throughout their entire life without knowing truly what they're capable of…. If I had to go level 0 to 100 (100 being the absolute limit of what you can physically, mentally and emotionally take), I'd say most people live in this 40 to 60 range. And they think that the 60 is their 100 — but they have no idea.” (20:53-21:20)

• “As an actor, I've been turned down many, many times, whether it's for Bruce Lee or for whatever else. And, I don't know any other profession where a 2% success rate is a huge success. I don't know any other industry. So, as an actor, mental and emotional strength is such a big thing.” (26:02-26:29)

Links:

@mohsmartialarts @mikemoh

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing

View Details

“When a paradigm shifts, if you don’t shift with it, you’re going to be history,” says Rich Caldwell, Sector Manager of Strategic Landscape Assessments at Northrop Grumman. Rich has experienced his fair share of paradigm shifts throughout his extensive career, which has included working as a Communications Squad Commander in the US Air Force, as a Space Crew Commander at Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center, as a J33 CSOD Action Officer on the Joint Staff of the Pentagon, and in his current role at Northrop Grumman.

Now, Rich’s greatest passion is using his wealth of knowledge and experience in the world of CI to cultivate the young people at his company into future leaders. He explains that he calls his young employees his “kids” and gives them a two-year deadline to work on his team before kicking them out, since by then he hopes they will have learned and grown enough to move onto bigger and better things!

Join the Jo Bros on this week’s episode of Running Into the Fog for a conversation with Rich about his background in CI and his predictions for the future of the industry. Learn why Rich believes we should introduce students into the intelligence culture at a younger age, how the digital revolution is changing the way we do business and why 2021 is the year of accountability and action.

Quotes • “As you start getting a little bit older into this career, you start thinking, ‘People took care of me. There were people who took me under their wing. I wouldn’t be where I am if it weren’t for them.’ So I turned my focus on that….Our job is to make sure that we cultivate these people and move them on so they can be our leaders someday.” (9:36-11:18) 

• “If we look at the intelligence world, I think more and more we need to transition how we do education. We need to start getting younger people’s hands dirty into a skillset early on.” (18:19-18:32)

• “You have to keep changing with the environment. Commercial tech is changing the way we’re doing business. We’re all now into this digital revolution. We no longer build multi-billion dollar airplanes and do fly offs. We build digital twins. It’s all done in modeling and sim….You’re flying an aircraft that hasn’t been built yet.” (35:23-35:54)

• “I explain it to leaders like this. You’re going to go golfing, and you get your bags together, you clean your golf balls, you clean your clubs, you go out there, you get on the first tee. We line you up. We put the ball on the tee. You come back, and you’re taking that back swing, you’re getting ready to go, and you drop your club and say, ‘Ok, thank you.’... Hit the ball! Take the risk!” (43:12-43:43)

Links: Twitter: AeroDefenseGuy (@defense_guy)   Rich Caldwell LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caldgargan/  

https://aurorawdc.com/  Arik JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/  Derek JohnsonLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/ Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing

View Details

Babette Bensoussan discovered the immense value of consumer insights in the 1980s when she was working as a Communications Manager at Apple. Despite the fact that Apple discouraged its employees from conducting consumer research at the time, Babette quickly fell in love with customer intelligence (CI). To her, it was clear that CI serves as a basis from which to develop sound strategies, not only in business, but also in life.

A self-proclaimed Decision-Making Maverick™, Babette has held many titles throughout her career, from Marketing Manager to Professor to Business Coach. She now runs her own company Mindshifts, where she helps organizations, business leaders and professional executives improve their decision-making capabilities. Babette has relied on CI to inform her decisions every step of the way.

Tune into this week’s episode of Running into the Fog for a conversation between Babette and the Jo Bros about the incredible power of CI and where executives fall short when they don’t capitalize on it. Learn why analytical frameworks are like jigsaw puzzle pictures, why collaboration requires humility, and how your best students can ultimately become your biggest competitors. Most importantly, hear Babette’s take on why in order to be coachable, you need to be willing to run through the fog.

Quotes – UPDATE TIMESTAMPS! • “I realized that a lot of corporations, a lot of executives were developing strategies in vacuums. You know, they’re all thinking they’re going to be number one, they all want to do this kind of stuff without any understanding of the external world in which they competed.” (4:56-5:13)

• “I’m a firm believer that we should all be doing the process of CI in every aspect of our life because it’s all about making better decisions.” (10:22-10:33)

• “We have so much information now that we don’t understand what that information means anymore. And without an analytical framework, how do you sort that information out?” (13:11-13:26)

• “If you don’t want to run through the fog, you can’t be coached. Quite easy. If you’re not willing to run through that fog, to learn, to question yourself, then you’re really not coachable. You’re not ready for being coached. But if you want to run through the fog, if you want someone to run beside you, to help you, then you are coachable.” (21:49-22:14)

• “I think humility will always identify how much collaboration you’ll have in anything….We talk about humility, but I talk about it as the willingness to learn. The moment you believe you have nothing to learn or you’re ‘fine’...you’re no longer teachable.” (27:46-28:23)

Links: www.mindshifts.com.au babette@mindshifts.com.au https://www.linkedin.com/in/babettebensoussan/ https://twitter.com/BabetteBen https://aurorawdc.com/ Arik Johnson LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/ Derek Johnson LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/ Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing

View Details

From pioneering an emergent mode of intel collection and dissemination in the 1980s with video to shredding his CIA employee file and going corporate at Motorola, Joe draws from his time on the front “spy” lines in his books dedicated to fellow intel practitioners, adding a little fiction and anonymity to cover his tracks with entertaining tales.

While he admits that “truth is stranger than fiction,” Joe uses his fictitious characters and plots to metaphorically, and directly, share important and timeless truths applicable to those in intelligence today.

Tune into this week’s episode of Running into the Fog for a conversation with Joe Goldberg and the Jo Bros about Joe’s new book The Spy Devils and its grounding in Joe’s own life experiences. Learn how a masters degree in broadcast and film got Joe into the CIA, why Joe got rid of almost 1,000 pages of his first draft, and where Joe sprinkled surprise Easter eggs throughout his book for Iowa readers.

Quotes • “As I say early on, truth is stranger than fiction. That was sort of a motto throughout the entire book.” (14:21-14:28)

• “If you have something to say, say it. Whether you think other people are interested or not, that’s irrelevant. Put that away. Put that fog of self-doubt in a box and put that away. Because some people are going to hate it...but that’s irrelevant!” (20:25-20:45)

• “Everything is connected. The stuff that you’re doing is connected to the people who did it before you. The people that are going to follow you and learn from you – they’re connected to you….We must remember that nothing was just made for us.” (39:13-39:41)

• “It’s up to the intelligence people of today….who are figuring out what’s the best way to do intelligence and communicate it and collect it...to our decision makers?...What’s the next YouTube?” (48:51-50:05)

• “I put it to the people who are in the fog...the people who are in intelligence today or related fields, the ethical issues are immense. They aren’t to be discarded...Ethics are you.” (50:25-51:08)

• “What types of warfare will corporations have to equip themselves for in the decade ahead?” (53:13-53:26)

• “I think there’s a back-to-the-basics world that we’re going to go back to. We’re going to have tools, whatever those tools are, and we’re going to have smart people, because there’s always smart people… but I believe there’s going to be a move toward making the complex simple to get things done.” (55:14-58:32)

Links: Twitter: @joeGoldbergbook Facebook & Instagram: @joeGoldbergBooks Buy the book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Spy-Devils-Joe-Goldberg-ebook/dp/B08SJBDR61 https://aurorawdc.com/ Arik JohnsonLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/ Derek JohnsonLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/ Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing

View Details

“This is the time when we should be willing to do something different,” says London-born Suki Fuller, Founder of Miribure and Senior VP Europe of DC Analytics. Suki is an analyst with a unique, global outlook, as someone who has lived in the Middle East, China, America, and Europe--and that has made her an invaluable asset in the tech world and beyond. In this episode of Running Into the Fog, she talks with the Jo Bros about how we need to shift our outlook on a global scale to truly prepare for the future.

Engineers are always saying “build back better.” But in this episode, Suki asks, “Why do we need to build back?” For Suki, the only way forward is to “build better,” period. We don’t need to follow the status quo, when there are better, more environmentally, fiscally, and culturally friendly ways to build our world. As she says, “It’s time to hand it off to the new guard. It’s time to look beyond the past and see what can happen in the future.”

Tune in for a global look at the pandemic, Brexit, technology, and much more--and how we can use data and intelligence to take a holistic view and create a better path forward.

Quotes

• “The only thing you can be certain of is change. Change is life. Every single second, every single minute of the day is different… You have to try and do something different in order for change to happen in a bigger way.” (38:39-38:54)
• “There are people that are afraid to challenge those that are considered ‘senior’. I think there needs to be a time of reckoning to realize that even though you may have that level of experience and respect, it’s time to hand it off to the new guard. It’s time to look beyond the past and see what can happen in the future.” (1:13:35-1:14:20)

Links:

Twitter: @SukiFuller

LinkedIn: Suki Fuller

Instagram: @SukiFuller

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

Terry Thiele joins the Jo Bros this week and reveals he is writing a book, with a working title Our Fourth Age, a Story for My Grandchildren, trying to dissect the human population from 200,000 years ago to 10,000 years ago. Terry says the purpose of his manuscript is to explore what those destabilizing changes are and whether homo sapiens can cope--whether we’ve got a future. The way I went at it was to break the history of our species into 4 ages.

Thiele begins the discussion stepping into the past of the human population; when we were hunter gatherers. Thiele would argue that we have a set of instincts that are irreducible and that are irreversible. When we tend to perceive fear we over react to it, and we have a better chance of surviving if we are in a group. We are also desperate to have a good standing ‘status’ in a group to survive. We are curious, in a sense pertaining to what we don't know, and understand the unknown before it gets us by the throat.

Our pursuit of knowledge is driven to protect us. Thiele talks about present day time depth, and the difference between the current generation and ‘boomers’, and what at this time can be passed down for further learning, in relation to how past generations have left the future with tools and resources to evolve as a population.

In conversation of human nature and the basic needs of an individual, Thiele breaks it down as four needs:

• I want my family to be safe
• I want to have a job to be able to provide
• I want my children to have a future
• I want you to leave me alone as long as I am not harming anyone else

As Thiele reaches the end of his manuscript, his revelation is that the next generation has failed to seek the necessary degree of change from the previous generation, looking to see how things will change as we evolve as a population.

Arik and Thiele discuss the means of production and the booming manufacturing renaissance that may be coming, and the new predominant currencies that have surfaced such as crypto currency and the like. Thiele points out that based on UN data, the global population will decline, while opposing data suggests the population will top out in our lifetime, globally speaking.

Discussing the economic and population causes and effects of Eastern Europe versus Japan or Korea, it is difficult to see what the global economic environment will look like in the future. In Thiele’s manuscript, he hypothesizes a few scenarios of how this may play out. Thiele hopes that his manuscript brings a healthy discussion as to how the world will look in our future.

This episode discusses not only the history of the human population, but how these trends may affect the future. Tune in this week for an insightful conversation with Arik and Derek Johnson, and their long time friend and colleague, Terry Thiele!

Quotes:

• “For any particular company at a micro economic level going into the future longer term, you have to plan for a world where you have to get a bigger piece of a smaller pie. For the first time, supply will exceed demand. And that takes most of your economics and flips it on its head.”
• “After 40 years [of trying to get leaders and students to think about the future], I began to realize that, when we look at the world around us, the rate and degree of change are both accelerating at an exponential rate--and we’re not prepared for it.”
• “For any particular company, at a microeconomic level, going into the future longer-term, you have to plan for a world where you have to get a smaller piece of a larger pie. For the first time, supply will exceed demand. And that takes most of your economics and flips it on its head.”

Links:

How to get in touch with Terry: LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/tvthiele/

TVThiele@MSN.com

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

After spending 12 years as the Director of Competitive Intelligence at the same law firm, Zena Applebaum had seen it all. She felt more comfortable than ever in the position, but with this comfort came a stagnancy that stifled her ability to learn and grow. Zena’s ever-present curiosity inspired her to venture into the fog and start a new role at Thomson Reuters. Although she admits that it took her over 8 months to fully understand the nuances and tactics necessary to succeed in this position, this change was just the type of challenge that she needed to bring new meaning to her life.

Zena’s journey has had no shortage of twists and turns. An expert in competitive intelligence, Zena has also taught several college-level courses, authored a book, and served on the board of the Special Library Services (SLA) for several years. These diverse experiences have allowed Zena to master her target market, develop her people skills, and learn the tactics necessary to thrive in her various roles – three things that, according to Zena, are critical for success.

On this week’s episode of Running Into the Fog, the Jo Bros speak with Zena about her personal journey to success and the crucial life lessons she learned along the way. From chaotic COVID households to the unique qualities of librarians to the fundamental differences between theory and practice, you won’t want to miss out on this engaging conversation about navigating the challenges life throws our way.

Quotes

• “I had done it all, I had seen it all, I had spent 12 years at my firm. I was most comfortable, but I was also becoming really stagnant….I felt like I could do more, and I could learn more. And I knew that if I didn’t do it soon, I was going to be pigeonholed forever into that role.” (25:56-26:22)

• “Market, people, and tactics. If you can master two of them, you can usually learn the third.” (33:33-33:40)

• “The way you learn the market is by recognizing first and foremost that information for information’s sake doesn’t sell.” (35:34-35:45)
• “It takes seven years to build trust, it takes seven minutes to erode it. Building relationships is so critical to this business. It’s critical to any business, but I think particularly if you’re doing competitive intelligence, people need to know that they can trust you, people need to know that you are going to have conversations on their behalf where you’re not going to embarrass them, where you’re not going to say something out of turn.” (42:52-43:15)
• “I think the one thing I would tell my 20-year-old self is to chill the f out. We all get to a place eventually where we should be….I liked to plan everything, I liked to know that there was a path forward. And I still do, but I also recognize that, as much as you plan, you can’t plan for every contingency.” (46:38-47:07)

Links

Zena Applebaum Twitter – https://twitter.com/zappleci?lang=en

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik Johnson LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek Johnson LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

Gilberto Gandra, Founding Partner @ RadiusVC has a mantra: “Invest in things that change the world.” Gilberto’s career has always been mission-driven, from work in animal welfare to relationship building to a life-long commitment to diversity and inclusion. In this episode of Running Into the Fog, Gilberto talks with the Jo Bros about the impact of Covid on the pet industry, his view of intentional diversity in the startup world, and why he calls himself a “relationship strategist.”

Everyone ran into the fog during Covid, but for Giberto, the pandemic brought a bit of good luck. Just before Covid, he started working for a startup called Adopet, which provides a SaaS solution for animal shelters to streamline adoption. With Covid, shelters wanted to ditch old paper processes, and every family in America suddenly wanted a puppy. As a result, Adopet took off.

But Gilberto isn’t just talking about animals in this episode. He always talks about the importance of investing in global, diverse problems - which he does as part of his work with the venture capital fund RadiusVC. Gilberto believes in the power of relationships to impact your life - and venture capital is the ultimate financial relationship with marginalized founders who need financial support.

Tune in this week to hear Gilberto’s value-driven approach to finding work and people you love - and how that has changed his life.

Quotes

• “You need something that you want to solve the problem, regardless of whether you’re going to make money or not. That’s the true measure of a business worth pursuing. You can figure out a way to monetize it. If the problem is big enough, you should be able to create some economy around that problem, to solve it. The best way to change the world is to make money doing it. Otherwise, it is not self-sustaining.” (14:05-14:31)
• “If you invest in things that are going to be changing the world, but you invest always in the same type of people... Then, you don’t get to change the world, you just get to change the world for people in that particular lens.” (22:37-22:54)

Links

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gilberto-gandra/

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

“Clearing out the fog is about using facts,” says Marie Mansheim, truth-teller and manufacturing consultant who works with companies across industries (and the globe) to find the best practices for their business. In this episode of Running into the Fog, the Jo Bros are talking with Marie about the power of data to guide decision-making, and how she has supported her clients during Covid as they navigate the see-saw of loss and sales that is plaguing the manufacturing world right now.

For Marie, being successful is about looking at competitive intelligence data and laying out all the options in a way that is not only unbiased, but stretches beyond the conventions of the industry. She encourages clients to look at best practices across industries -- because why would we not want to bring in those fresh ideas? She helps manufacturers look at everything from security to automation to company culture, with a focus on smart decision-making that doesn't keep your company stuck in the weeds.

Tune in this week for a practical guide on how to make smart change, even in an uncertain world. You’ll hear about analysis paralysis, FOMO, and so much more in this episode of Running into the Fog.

Quotes:

32:30 – “People get hemmed into ‘This is where I have to go because I’ve always done it that way.’ You have to say ‘Other options are available to you. You may not choose them, but they’re available.’ So, really helping them figure out …. what they are willing to invest in, what they aren’t willing to invest in, and where they want to go as a business owner, too.” (32:07-32:38)

34:56 – “Clearing out the fog is about using facts.” (34:57-35:00)

Links:

Twitter: MMansheim

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mariemansheim

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

“I don’t really separate out strategy from tactics from execution,” says August Jackson, Senior Director of Market and Competitive Intelligence at Deltek. As a leader in competitive intelligence (CI), August takes a holistic approach to his work, and believes in the tension between executing day-to-day and taking that big picture look at what CI can do, and where it’s going.

In this episode of Running into the Fog with the Johnson brothers, August talks about the balance of industry expertise with CI expertise, and how having that deep knowledge of an industry (like SaaS or pharmaceuticals) is necessary to really understand the full capacities of CI. He also talks about another specialized community: small business owners. “I think there’s an opportunity for my profession to go much deeper into the small business market,” August says. As the foundation of our national and global economy, August is passionate about what CI can do for small business, without breaking the bank.

Tune in this week for a look at where CI is going, and a few stories of entrepreneurship (and friendship), on this episode of Running into the Fog.

Quotes:

• “I’ve always kind of walked away from the idea of a strategic and tactical divide; for me, I’m an ENTJ, and on that end, the needle falls off. So I am the most holistic person: big hand, small map all the time. Sometimes in our profession people get really wrapped around the axel of what’s strategic versus what is tactical -- Well, everything’s strategic over a long enough time period.” (16:07ish-16:40)
• “I also don’t separate strategy from execution as much as others might, and my sense is looking at some groups that take a purely strategy view to how they do things, that misses opportunities to really effect change inside the organization.” (16:47-17:04)

Links:

August Jackson - Senior Director, Market and Competitive Intelligence

Fellow, Council of Competitive Intelligence Fellows

Social Media handles (e.g. Twitter, LinkedIn): @8of12 on Twitter; https://www.linkedin.com/in/augustjackson/

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

Foggy times come for all of us. Times when we aren’t certain where we are headed, when we can’t see what’s next. Globally, we are in the middle of one right now. In this introductory episode, hosts Arik and Derek Johnson talk with their long-time friend and consultant Jeff Meyer, about how to run into the fog -- something they are deeply familiar with as leaders in the competitive intelligence industry, where the goal is to use data to “outfit people for the path ahead.”

Jeff is a master of moving forward through uncertainty -- hence his tagline and the name of his podcast, “Move Forward Anyway.” Jeff shares his experience of working as a consultant with both brothers for their company Aurora WDC, to help them learn how to run into the fog together.

Tune in to hear Jeff speak about fear, uncertainty, collaboration, curiosity, and the power of moving from “expert to experiment” in the inaugural episode of Running into the Fog.

Quotes

• “One of the principles for me is, you glance at the far distant future, because you want to be going in that general direction, but you need to gaze at what’s right in front of you. (6:38-6:52)

• “In each of our unique spaces, we tend to bring bias. We tend to assume an expert stance. And so I talk all the time with pastors and leaders and all kinds of other different teachers, I say, we’ve got to move from expert to experiment. And get comfortable with the adventure of discovery, and curiosity.” (25:15-25:47)

Links

Facebook: jeffmeyer222

Twitter: jeffmeyer22

LinkedIn: jeffmeyer22

Instagram: jeffmeyer22

https://aurorawdc.com/

Arik JohnsonLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikjohnson/

Derek JohnsonLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-cfa-190893/

View Details

Here is a sample episode featuring one of our guests, Jeff Meyer. 

Links: 

Facebook: jeffmeyer222 

Twitter: jeffmeyer22

LinkedIn: jeffmeyer22

Instagram: jeffmeyer22

https://aurorawdc.com/