"Turning Point," hosted by Blaine Bertsch, the CEO of Dryrun, dives into the captivating journeys of entrepreneurs. Each episode features seasoned business owners sharing their challenges, pivotal moments, and triumphs. With open and honest interviews, you'll hear stories of resilience and victory that define the entrepreneurial spirit. Don't miss an episode! Subscribe, follow, and like "Turning Point" for actionable insights and lessons from those who have successfully navigated the complex ...
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What do highly successful people actually do to succeed? For 45 years as entrepreneur, inventor, and author, Don Hutcheson has studied the proven career-building strategies that people around the world have used for decades to create lives of success, satisfaction and freedom. Every Tuesday he interviews individuals from around the world who share their real-world experiences and insights—what worked, what didn’t and why—and any advice they might offer to help you jump-start your life and ca ...
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Welcome to 'Hiring Matters,' the podcast where Hiring and Human Resources transform from a tactical process into a collaborative art form! Join Ken, a seasoned expert with nearly three decades in executive recruiting, and his executive guests as they unveil the secrets of Recruiting, Retention, and Real HR Strategies, sharing their ‘secret sauce’ for building and retaining top-performing teams. They’ll dissect the art and science of building exceptional teams, retaining top talent, and imple ...
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1180. A Day in the Life: What's It Really Like to Be a Live Event Technical Producer?
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20:06Howie Zales is an Emmy Awarded camera operator who started his career at the NFL Network and NBC Sports. His passion for broadcasting led him to found Viridity Entertainment Services (VES), a streaming and professionally-recorded in-house productions service offering TV-quality livestream to corporations. Their clients include T Mobile, Capital One…
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1179. Using His Talents to Impact the Lives of Others
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31:34Sal Hanna is a houseparent at Milton Hershey School, a cost-free residential school for children from low-income backgrounds. At the school, students are given everything they need to remove barriers to education, including meals, clothing and health services. Students live in small groups of 10-12 in on-campus houses, and each house is overseen by…
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In this episode of Turning Point, Blaine Bertsch sits down with Adam Nathan, CEO of Blaze, to explore the mindset, experiences, and strategies that have shaped his entrepreneurial path. Adam shares lessons from his time at Apple and within government administration, revealing how a deep understanding of human needs and societal challenges has guide…
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1178. Sometimes You Just Have to Throw Your Hat Over the Fence
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35:06
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35:06Allegra Huston is the author of "Love Child: A Memoir of Family Lost and Found", the novels "A Stolen Summer" and "Say My Name," and many screenplays including the award-winning short film "Good Luck, Mr. Gorski," which she also produced. In 2019 she published how-to books on “the stuff nobody teaches you,” including "How to Read for an Audience" b…
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1177. A Day in the Life: What's It Really Like to Be a Human Resources Consultant?
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29:07Sally Loftis is the Managing Director at Loftis Partners, a 100% woman-owned human resources consulting firm located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Sally works at the intersection of human resources, organization development, and social justice. Loftis Partners specializes in strategy, people, facilitation, and pay justice. Since la…
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1176. Voracious Learner Shares His Knowledge
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42:39
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42:39Guest Sean Sessel: “I got to a really dark place because I felt like I had to make that choice: That I could either be financially successful but I could only do so if I sell my soul, sell my values─or, I could be broke. Neither one of those options was acceptable to me.” Sean Sessel is a voracious learner with a fervent belief in the ability of th…
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In this episode of Turning Point, Blaine sits down with Ken McKenzie, founder and CEO of Fresh Victor premium mixers, to explore his entrepreneurial journey from co-founding Republic Tequila to revolutionizing the cocktail mixer market. Ken shares insights on the evolution of the tequila industry, the role of personal relationships in business succ…
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1175: A Day in the Life: What's It Really Like to Be a Commodity and Equity Trader?
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31:50Tony Greer founded T.G. Macro in 2016, an independent market analysis company, where he could combine 25 years in trading and 15 years of writing a daily newsletter into one analytical platform. He provides fundamental, technical, and behavioral analysis of global markets to nearly 1,000 individuals in his institutional client and personal subscrib…
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In this episode of Turning Point, Blaine interviews Borja Cuan, Co-Founder of Four15 Digital, to discuss his entrepreneurial journey and the foundational lessons that have shaped his career. From selling golf balls as a child to leading a successful digital marketing agency, Borja shares insights on mentorship, networking, and the operational strat…
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In this episode of Turning Point, Blaine chats with Robert Grazioli, the Managing Partner of Bread, a Brooklyn-based Digital Agency. They dive into the dynamic world of entrepreneurship, highlighting the unique challenges and growth opportunities founders face—especially those transitioning from service-based businesses to product development. They…
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1174. Power of Storytelling in Expressing Your True Self
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43:03An experienced, accredited college admissions consultant and essay coach, Kate Stone received her B.S. in Communications and a minor in Creative Writing at New York University. She continued as a Princeton University teaching fellow in Asia shortly before starting University Gurus. She transformed her passion for creative writing and storytelling i…
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1173. Autism Advocate Learns by Doing the Research
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45:51
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45:51"I always say that family and love should come first, and no matter what, set your priorities straight because it's not all about the money. We have to decide our priorities as soon as possible to avoid any regrets later on in life." Ula Tinsley is a passionate autism advocate, featured writer at www.icare4autism.org and a talk show host on Autism …
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1172. Special Forces Veteran Makes Safety and Security a Priority for Others
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30:36John Timothy Brewer is an Army Special Forces veteran with more than 10 years of experience enabling those who act to defend life, family, and country. Knowing firsthand the importance of self-reliance, John has made it his mission to enable and empower others so they may live healthy, thriving lives. His book, “Fight for Your Best Life” is the ste…
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In this episode of Turning Point, Eric Hui, founder of Terracea, shares his journey from corporate life to creating a cold-weather outdoor apparel brand. He discusses identifying market gaps, the challenges of product development, and the importance of funding through platforms like Kickstarter. Eric reflects on the resilience needed to overcome se…
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1171. A Day in the Life: What's It Really Like to Be a Chief Operating Officer?
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43:38Steve Orrin offers three decades of extraordinary success in a series of high-level roles at top-tier companies that include Intel Corporation, Sarvega, Watchfire Inc., Sanctum Inc., First Genetic Trust Inc., Lockstar Inc., and SynData Technologies Inc. He has recently had the honor of being nominated as a Fellow at the Tortora Brayda Institute for…
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In this episode of Turning Point, Blaine Bertsch and Sheena White dive into the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, exploring Sheena’s reluctant start in business and the pivotal moments that shaped her journey to success. Together, they unpack the balancing act of financial management, from understanding the critical differences between cash flow …
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1170. A Day in the Life: What's It Really Like to Be a Craniosacral Therapist?
37:14
37:14
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37:14“My daughter was required to be vaccinated at the end of her fifth grade school year at the age of 11 before she could move on to middle school. For the following couple of years, she deteriorated medically, physically, and emotionally at a very frightening level. And in the end, the diagnosis included autism, sensory processing disorder, ADHD, and…
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1169. Making It in Hollywood Takes Grit, Determination and Talent
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22:27
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22:27”It was really sort of a Blitzkrieg assault approach where I wrote many, many scripts and emailed everybody I knew, and entered scripts into screenwriting competitions. “While I was living in New York I paid for a pitch fest in L.A. I flew out there to this event where you had five minutes to pitch different companies, like Lionsgate Motion Picture…
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1168. How She Makes the Impossible Probable
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22:58
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22:58“One thing that is unique about my background is that my clients, who are tech entrepreneurs and CEOs, value that I came from a business background, a finance background, and a tech investing background. So they know that not only can I provide a tactical strategy, but I can also address the underlying issues that are behind those challenges for th…
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1167. A Day in the Life: What's It Really Like to Be a Branding and Marketing Agency Expert?
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28:21
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28:21“I applied to and started the TV program at Haslett High School near Lansing, Michigan and taught TV production there for 13 years. Then at age 38, I began telling my wife that I was not having as much fun at my job any more. This had been my only job. I wanted to do something bigger. I wanted to do something different but still creative. She encou…
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In this episode, host Blaine Bertsch chats with Tom Schwab, founder of Interview Valet, for an in-depth discussion about the entrepreneurial journey. Together, they explore the challenges and rewards of building a business, emphasizing the importance of resilience, adaptability, and the support of a strong community. Drawing from their personal exp…
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1166. If You Want to Be the Smartest Person in the Room, Be the Most Prepared
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36:10“I went to law school at age 49 at Washington University School of Law, which is an Ivy League-level law school. I graduated with a 4.0, the highest GPA in my class. When people ask me how I did that while doing all this other stuff at the same time, I like to joke and say ‘I cheated.’ At Orientation they told us we should spend four hours per clas…
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1165. Helping Grads to Grown-ups Get on Their Path to Success
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39:29
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39:29“We ended up with over 2,000 recruiting firms buying our training model. But after 2 years, I was just bored out of my mind! Once a month we were doing the exact same 5-day training. I missed doing the executive searches myself. That’s just what my passion was, that’s what I loved doing and where my talent was. So, we ended up re-acquiring our old …
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In this conversation, Blaine interviews John Gillham, founder of Originality AI, discussing his journey into entrepreneurship, the evolution of content marketing, and the impact of AI on content creation. John shares insights on building a remote workforce, the importance of customer focus, and strategies for small businesses to navigate the challe…
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1164. A Lifetime Student of the Holocaust
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43:39Guest James Cloud: "I guess you could say I might unconsciously have developed a mission that I hope that my books will help throw light onto the question of how did the Holocaust happen in a developed, civilized country like Germany.” James Cloud is a retired educator with more than 30 years of experience. He was born and brought up in Las Vegas, …
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Lights, Camera, Leadership: Managing Teams Like a Movie Set
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56:03
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56:03What do a classical pianist, a filmmaker, and a CEO have in common? In this week's episode of Hiring Matters, Ken Schmitt dives into the fascinating mind of Jieho Lee—CEO, Chief People Officer, and movie director. From ivory keys to boardrooms, Jieho takes us on a wild ride, showing us how the skills he developed on the movie set translate directly…
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1163. A Day in the Life: What's It Really Like to Be an Emotional Intelligence Executive Coach?
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33:25
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33:25Guest Dawn Cook Causey: “Empathy, which is the key dimension of EQ–emotional intelligence–has been until quite recently so dramatically underutilized in our day-to-day communications, in spite of the fact that it is the root cause of so many communications issues. With almost every client I have worked with over the many years I have been coaching,…
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1162. Re-evaluating to Build Her Optimum Business
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35:54
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35:54"The challenge for most people is figuring out where is the intersection of 1) what they love to do, 2) what they are also really good at doing, and 3) what will people legitimately pay for." Jennifer Allwood has built her business in phases into what she considers a dream life. It all began with her fascination with HGTV, her love of decorating, a…
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Join host Blaine Bertsch as he sits down with Mandi Gunzberger, a powerhouse entrepreneur with a track record of launching successful ventures like Babyology and Nourish Travel. Mandi dives into her entrepreneurial journey, sharing the early sparks that ignited her passion for business and the valuable lessons learned along the way. They talk about…
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1161. A Day in the Life: What's It Really Like to Be a Film and TV Industry Executive?
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30:28
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30:28"The New York office asked me if I’d like to transfer there as supervisor and a pay raise that was literally three times greater than what I was earning at the time as a 25-year-old ‘newbie' in the world of advertising. My immediate response was: 'No thank you, I want to make movies.' Soon thereafter I accepted a job as a production assistant on a …
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Stop the Exodus: Ken Schmitt’s No-Nonsense Guide to Retention
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13:09
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13:09Ken is back with another fiery “Recruiter Rant,” this time he's taking on employee retention—and trust us, it's not your typical corporate pep talk. He pulls no punches, breaking down why your employees are fleeing faster than your Wi-Fi during an important Zoom call. Ken dives into the real reasons behind the great employee escape, and spoiler—it’…
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1160 A Day In the Life: What's It Really Like to Be an Innovative Leader in Law Enforcement
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41:02
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41:02Anthony Schembri is a distinguished former police commissioner with a background in homicide and forensic evidence. He has held several leadership positions in law enforcement. Schembri’s dynamic career and accolades include an Innovations in Government award from Harvard. He is a Fulbright scholar and the author of several books on criminal law an…
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John and Mark Cronin from John’s Crazy Socks
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46:22In this episode of Turning Point, Blaine Bertsch interviews John and Mark Cronin, the father-son duo behind John’s Crazy Socks. In 2016, Mark found himself unemployed at 58, while his son John, who has Down syndrome, was facing the "21-Year-Old Cliff," where school support ends and options are limited. After exploring different ideas, John proposed…
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“It’s just not easy to find what we love, let alone do what we love and being financially rewarded for that. It does require a ton of courage. It takes us out of our safety zone. A job is giving us the most basic need on the hierarchy of needs, which is to feel safe, to survive. For a successful entrepreneurship or doing what we truly love, we just…
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Coca-Cola, ArmorAll, and Pens?! Why CMO Jeff Werderman Says Your Leadership Style Needs a Refresh
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45:18
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45:18If you think pens, soda, and car wax sound like the most boring things ever—think again. Our guest, marketing powerhouse Jeff Werderman, has spent 30 years leading at brands like Coca-Cola, Boost Mobile, and ArmorAll, and now he’s running the show at Pentel of America (yes, the pen company). But this isn’t about writing instruments—it’s about writi…
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1158. Using His Talent to Succeed in an Ever-Changing Job Market
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34:08
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34:08“I love to go out there speaking and educating–on top of the franchising. It’s a great time to be exploring franchising. Our placements year-to-date are up over 50%, which was up 50% over the previous year. Whether you are thinking of switching careers or getting a side hustle going or looking at expanding your investment portfolio, I just think th…
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Recruiter Rant: Non-Competes, Necessary Evil or Just Plain Evil?
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9:25In this Recruiter Rant Ken takes a sledgehammer to the sacred cow of corporate contracts: non-competes. Are they protecting businesses or just handcuffing employees? Ken dives into the murky waters of non-compete agreements—unpacking their morality, legality, and the head-scratching ways they’re enforced across industries. Using real-world examples…
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1157 Gaining Wisdom from His Patients’ Vacations
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32:09
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32:09Several years into a successful chiropractic practice, Mitchell Mays puzzled over the patients who kept returning with recurring conditions, no matter what he tried. Then, he had an “ah-ha!” moment that took his practice in a whole new direction. Dr. Mays is the #1 best-selling author of MIND GATE: Demolish Fear, Overcome Anxiety and Create the Lif…
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Bradley Hamner, Founder and CEO of Blueprint OS, shares his journey as an entrepreneur and the challenges he faced in scaling his business. He discusses the importance of sales skills, hard work, and the need for systems and processes to achieve growth and work-life balance. The turning point for him was realizing the value of structure and organiz…
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Rewriting the Rules: The Future of Hiring with Former White House Appointee Lisa Gable
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48:41
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48:41Welcome to 2050—where we still don’t have flying cars, but we’re finally getting our hiring practices right. Host Ken is joined by the formidable Lisa Gable, former Presidential appointee, U.S. Ambassador, UN Delegate, and advisor to Fortune 500 companies. Lisa is here to shake up your future and maybe your present, too. With her wealth of experien…
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1156. A Day in the Life: What's It Really Like to Be a Book Publisher?
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35:36
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35:36Morgan Gist MacDonald began her career in academia, as a Sociologist, but soon found the entrepreneurial pull to take her skills as a researcher, writer, teacher, and leader into building a publishing company, from the ground up. She is an author, speaker, and the founder of Paper Raven Books, an innovative publishing company designed to help first…
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Recruiter Rant: Is Your Succession Plan a Recipe for Disaster?
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8:47
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8:47Think your succession plan is solid? Think again! In this episode, we’re ripping the lid off a topic companies often avoid talking about—succession planning. If your strategy is simply crossing your fingers and hoping for the best, prepare for a wake-up call. With just 35% of organizations having a formal plan, most leadership transitions are a hig…
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Hiring (GenZ) Matters: A Generational Showdown
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52:30Gen Z’s entry into the workforce is shaking things up with their high expectations and progressive ideals. From flexible schedules and remote work to instant recognition and a strong focus on social justice, this generation is challenging the status quo. Ken sits down with TurningPoint's own Gen Zers, Cory and Katherine, to explore various topics r…
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Recruiter Rant: Compensation isn't Everything... but It's Pretty Damn Important
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13:53
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13:53Is your compensation strategy secretly sabotaging your business? For decades, Ken has witnessed companies cling to outdated pay structures that not only fail to attract top talent but actively drive it away. In this episode, he challenges conventional wisdom on compensation, revealing startling insights—from how penny-pinching risks losing your bes…
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We're thrilled to announce that the third season of Hiring Matters is officially in the books! Over the last 18 months, we've hosted over 40 incredible guest interviews with leaders from Global Medical Response, Sancora, Boost, Spark Networks, and many more. We've tackled hot topics like bad interviewing practices, the pitfalls of hiring based on p…
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1155. A Day in the Life: What's It Really Like to Be an Artist?
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56:26
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56:26"You have to be open to unexpected opportunities to grow your audience. When the Olympics came to Atlanta in July of 1996, a photographer friend of mine was offered a space to curate her own show. She asked me and a few other artists to exhibit as well. I created 13 new works in the span of a month after my day job in a frame shop. I sold all my pa…
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In this episode of "Turning Point," Blaine Bertsch, CEO of Dryrun, interviews Ilya Kroogman, founder of The Digital Panda, about his entrepreneurial journey and business growth. They discuss the challenges of hiring and the transition to remote work, emphasizing the importance of hiring for culture fit. The conversation dives into the impact of the…
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Hiring (Mentorship and Humility) Matters with AdVenture Capitalist Terrance Orr
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56:09
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56:09Renowned for his exceptional ability to inspire and uplift, Venture Builder Capitalist Terrance Orr shares profound insights on the transformative power of humility and the invaluable lessons of mentorship. In this best-of-episode, we're revisiting one of our favourite guest interviews. Terrance delves into the depths of his personal odyssey — from…
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1154. A Day in the Life of a Law Enforcement Officer, with Maria Yturria
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31:49
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31:49Captain Maria Yturria, since the original recording of this episode, has been named Deputy Chief of the Professional Development Unit of the Richmond County Police Department. She is an FBI National Academy graduate. She has been in law enforcement since 2003, before that serving in the U.S. Army. Her assignments have included uniform patrol deputy…
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Join us on "Turning Point" as Mike Begg, co-founder and CEO of AMZ Advisors, shares his entrepreneurial journey and the evolution of his business. Mike discusses his early experiences, from working at a marina to selling on Amazon and launching his own brand. He explains the changes in the Amazon marketplace and the importance of building a profess…
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