Rooted In Revenue

We have a highly specialized guest who will help us navigate the evolving landscape of consumer behavior as it relates to demand generation. Deanna Shimoto, with over eight years of expertise in marketing and demand generation, joins us to share insights that couldn't be more relevant to our current business climate. As Deanna aptly puts it, "Buyers, consumers in general, are spending significantly more time digging in and doing their own research." This shift in consumer behavior is transforming the way businesses need to approach sales and marketing.
In this episode, we explore the reasons behind this shift and how it's affecting various industries, including the car vending machine trend exemplified by Carvana. Trust, efficiency, and control have become paramount for today's consumers. Whether you're in B2B or B2C, understanding and adapting to these changing dynamics is crucial. We'll delve into the importance of trust, the consequences of broken trust, and the need to align your strategies with evolving consumer preferences.
Join us as we uncover the keys to thriving in this new landscape of consumer behavior with Deanna Shimoto on "Rooted in Revenue." Be ready to look at transforming your business strategy and stay ahead in today's ever-evolving market.
Links from this episode:
Business Name: GrowthMode Marketing
Website: http://www.growthmodemarketing.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deannashimota/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/growthmode
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Growth_Mode

In this episode, Susan Finch and Tessa Burg dive deep into the ethical and strategic incorporation of AI tools, such as ChatGPT, into business workflows and educational systems. They discuss the importance of understanding biases, setting up standards across the company, and adopting a cautious approach to the usage of generative AI tools. They emphasize the need for a strong QA process and internal policies to protect clients and businesses. Additionally, they touch on the importance of educating students and teachers on how to properly use AI tools to enhance creativity and communication. Susan and Tessa share real-life examples and insights to highlight the challenges and benefits of using AI tools while maintaining a strong focus on ethics, security, and bias. Tune in to explore the nuances of incorporating AI into your daily workflows and the importance of approaching it with a strategic mindset.
Listen to Tessa's episode from Leader Generation on this topic, as well.
The Unique Edge Marketers Have Over ChatGPT
Links from this episode:
Susan on LinkedIn
Tessa on LinkedIn
Time-Saving vs. Think-Saving blog post

Jo Dale Carothers has just published Royally Deceived. I sat with her yesterday to talk about the process of someone who works full-time AND wants to be a published author. One of her big takeaways - research free resources, talk to other authors in your genre, and put together a team. Here is an excerpt from the interview. If you know you have a book in you, you'll want to listen to this episode. Maye you will be like Jo Dale and realize you don't just have one book in you, but two, then four, then ten. 
About Author - J.D. Carothers:
When not consumed by her job as an attorney, J.D. Carothers loves to cook for her family and friends, read murder mysteries and romance novels, eat chocolate, and sip wine while watching the sunset in Southern California.
Late at night or early on weekend mornings, she tries to find a quiet place to write her next novel and trade the stress of real life for a fantasy world where murder and romance are on the menu, along with the food she loves.
She wishes there were more hours in each day!
You can preview Royally Deceived here.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/43aNQYO 
Audible: https://adbl.co/3rv5IAA 
Here is the link to the series on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C9N72KR2 

Psychological safety is crucial for organizations to thrive, contributing to talent retention and overall success. Companies that create a culture of psychological safety outperform those that do not. Join Susan Finch and Rob Brodo to continue their discussion on leadership simulations.
Creating a psychologically safe environment requires leaders to establish trust and make employees feel comfortable taking risks, challenging the status quo, and expressing their concerns. It involves treating everyone fairly and focusing on building self-esteem and recognition.
To be a better leader and foster psychological safety, Rob Brodo suggests five key actions:
creating a stable and predictable environment,
providing employees with options and choices,
ensuring equity in treatment,
understanding employee desires and needs,
and establishing a foundation of trust.
Repairing trust can be challenging but is possible in certain situations. It requires open communication, difficult conversations, and the leader's judgment on whether the person can be trusted again. Building trust also involves maintaining a respectful environment and avoiding mockery or humiliation.
Advantix offers simulations and programs on psychological safety that cater to both large and small businesses. These simulations provide self-reflection, learning, and action-planning opportunities to enhance leadership skills and create psychologically safe workplaces.
Links from this episode:
Adventexe.com
https://www.advantexe.com/psychological-safety-simulation 
Rob Brodo on LinkedIn and Twitter
Susan Finch on LinkedIn and Twitter
 
About Advantexe:
Advantexe Learning Solution's mission is to provide world-class Business simulation-centric Business Acumen, Business Leadership, and Strategic Business Selling talent development solutions to organizations around the world to help them execute their business strategies and achieve their goals and objectives. 
Their vision is to be the premier talent development resource partnering with their clients to close the talent gaps preventing them from flawlessly executing their strategic initiatives and achieving their short- and long-term business objectives.

Susan Finch and Rob Brodo from Adventexe delve into the crucial role of coaching in driving organizational success. Recent studies have revealed that companies with a strong coaching culture are classified as high-performing organizations, and you won't want to miss out on that kind of achievement. Rob shares invaluable insights on coaching dialogue, coaching effectiveness, and the overall approach. They debunk the misconception that each company's coaching needs are vastly unique, emphasizing the core principles that apply to leadership coaching across the board. However, they also stress the significance of aligning coaching strategies with your company's specific goals and objectives. Join them for this episode, "Skills Needed to Drive Performance Through  Effective Coaching."
Rob also invites you to read his latest post on Five Business Acument Tips to Making Yourself Indispensible.
 
Links from this episode:
Adventexe.com
https://www.advantexe.com/new-manager-business-leadership-simulation
Rob Brodo on LinkedIn and Twitter
Susan Finch on LinkedIn and Twitter
 
About Advantexe:
Advantexe Learning Solution's mission is to provide world-class Business simulation-centric Business Acumen, Business Leadership, and Strategic Business Selling talent development solutions to organizations around the world to help them execute their business strategies and achieve their goals and objectives. 
Their vision is to be the premier talent development resource partnering with their clients to close the talent gaps preventing them from flawlessly executing their strategic initiatives and achieving their short- and long-term business objectives.

Intrigued by Advantexe's business simulations, Susan welcomes back Rob Brodo from Advantexe as they explores their focus on new manager training. They both acknowledge that management failure can lead to business failure but believe it is preventable and correctable. Susan asks Rob about the challenges faced by new managers and the motivation behind creating simulations.
Rob highlights the overwhelming nature of transitioning into a management role without guidance. Advantexe's simulations allow new managers to practice essential skills like goal-setting, coaching, conflict resolution, and leading change. Susan shares insights from conversations with author Helen Fanucci, author of Love Your Team, emphasizing the need for comprehensive training to support new managers and the difficult conversations necessary to grow.
They discuss the complexities of the evolving work environment, where institutional knowledge and documentation quickly become outdated. Rob reveals that many organizations lack manuals and standardized procedures. The simulations benefit not only new managers but the entire organization by building leadership capabilities.
Links from this episode:
Adventexe.com
https://www.advantexe.com/new-manager-business-leadership-simulation
Rob Brodo on LinkedIn and Twitter
Susan Finch on LinkedIn and Twitter
Also mentioned, Love Your Team by Helen Fanucci on Amazon
About Advantexe:
Advantexe Learning Solution's mission is to provide world-class Business simulation-centric Business Acumen, Business Leadership, and Strategic Business Selling talent development solutions to organizations around the world to help them execute their business strategies and achieve their goals and objectives. 
Their vision is to be the premier talent development resource partnering with their clients to close the talent gaps preventing them from flawlessly executing their strategic initiatives and achieving their short- and long-term business objectives.

In this final episode of the Foundations of Business Series on Rooted in Revenue, Rob Brodo, the co-founder and CEO of Advantexe, and Susan Finch discuss competitive analysis as a foundation of business acumen. They first identify who the real competitors are and how to spot them. They also explain how scanning the environment, including social media platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter, can help companies stay up to date on their competitors and innovations in the market. Rob emphasizes the importance of building trust with customers and having continuous dialogues with them to keep track of who is entering the market and who might be a potential threat. By doing so, companies can use the information gained from competitive analysis to fine-tune their message to either existing customers or new prospects and establish a strategic competitive advantage. Overall, this episode provides valuable insights and practical tips for conducting competitive analysis, regardless of a company's size.
Some of the points covered in this episode include:
Sales is not just about selling a product or service; it's about building relationships with customers and understanding their needs.
One of the most important skills for a salesperson is active listening. This means listening to the customer, understanding their pain points, and providing solutions.
Salespeople should focus on creating value for the customer, rather than just trying to close a sale. When customers see the value in what they are buying, they are more likely to become loyal customers.
Sales training should be an ongoing process, not just a one-time event. Salespeople should continuously learn new skills, strategies, and techniques to improve their performance.
Technology can be a valuable tool for salespeople, but it should never replace human connection. Personalized communication and building relationships with customers is still the key to successful sales.
The previous episode in this series is here:
https://rootedinrevenue.com/e/transform-employee-performance-with-strategic-insight/ 
https://rootedinrevenue.com/e/breaking-down-finacial-metric-silos-ensuring-consistent-understanding-across-the-company/ 
https://rootedinrevenue.com/e/achieving-competitive-advantage-through-a-comprehensive-competitor-analysis/ 
Links related to this episode:
https://www.advantexe.com/business-acumen-virtual-workshop
Rob Brodo on LinkedIn and Twitter
Susan Finch on LinkedIn and Twitter
About Advantexe:
Advantexe Learning Solution's mission is to provide world-class Business simulation-centric Business Acumen, Business Leadership, and Strategic Business Selling talent development solutions to organizations around the world in order to help them execute their business strategies and achieve their goals and objectives. 
Their vision is to be the premier talent development resource partnering with their clients to close the talent gaps that are preventing them from flawlessly executing their strategic initiatives and achieving their short- and long-term business objectives.

In this episode of Rooted in Revenue, host Susan Finch is once again joined by Rob Brodo, the co-founder and CEO of AdvantX. The duo is continuing their series on the foundations of Business Acumen, which covers the key components of understanding business strategy and financial positions. In this episode, they delve into the importance of recognizing the strategic and financial challenges and opportunities of executing a new strategy.
Rob discusses how many companies are disconnected between their metrics of success and their strategy, and that goals and objectives are not connected to the priorities of the business. He emphasizes the need to align people to measure the success of the strategy and that it is not happening in many companies. For example, if an organization has a value proposition of being an innovator, then the goals and objectives should be around innovation. Rob explains that it is not just about setting goals and objectives, but also about having specific measurements to tell if they are achieving those goals.
The conversation then turns to the importance of alignment across the enterprise on the value proposition, goals, and objectives. Rob highlights how the most successful companies in the world have this alignment, while struggling companies set up functions within the enterprise that compete against each other. This misalignment can lead to conflicts in financial metrics, cutting prices to get deals, and challenges in creating margins.
The episode concludes with Susan and Rob discussing the need for coaching and interpersonal skills to align people to the strategy. The conversation is wrapped up by discussing the basics of conducting a competitor analysis and using that information to establish a strategic competitive advantage in the next episode.
Listeners are encouraged to check out the full series of Rooted in Revenue on the website, where they can find Rob's insights on the foundations of Business Acumen, and to not miss the next episode on competitor analysis.
The previous episode in this series is here:
https://rootedinrevenue.com/e/transform-employee-performance-with-strategic-insight/ 
https://rootedinrevenue.com/e/breaking-down-finacial-metric-silos-ensuring-consistent-understanding-across-the-company/ 
Links related to this episode:
https://www.advantexe.com/business-acumen-virtual-workshop
Rob Brodo on LinkedIn and Twitter
Susan Finch on LinkedIn and Twitter
About Advantexe:
Advantexe Learning Solution's mission is to provide world-class Business simulation-centric Business Acumen, Business Leadership, and Strategic Business Selling talent development solutions to organizations around the world in order to help them execute their business strategies and achieve their goals and objectives. 
Their vision is to be the premier talent development resource partnering with their clients to close the talent gaps that are preventing them from flawlessly executing their strategic initiatives and achieving their short- and long-term business objectives.

In this episode of the podcast, Susan Finch and Michelle Cramer from On Angels' Wings discuss the importance of HR support in the workplace. Michelle discusses her journey writing her book, Uncharted Grief, and her certification as a Grief Recovery Method specialist. Michelle shares her thoughts on the societal norms surrounding grief and how they impact employees in the workplace. She highlights the importance of allowing employees to grieve and the impact it can have on their health and financial well-being. Michelle also shares a story of a gentleman who struggled to find a balance between work and grieving after the unexpected death of his father. This episode sheds light on a crucial topic and highlights the importance of HR support for employees who are grieving. You’ll also hear the variations of grief, it’s not always about death. Listen in to gain insights and understanding on how to support your team and staff through the grieving process.
This episode covers a few facets of this topic:
Supporting Teams Through Grief: HR's Role in the Process
Navigating Loss in the Workplace: Expert Advice for HR
Grieving and the Workplace: Addressing Employee Needs
HR's Role in Providing Compassionate Support for Grieving Employees
Links from this episode:
On Angels' Wings - https://oawphoto.org
Susan Finch on LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/susanmfinch 
Michelle Cramer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellelcramer-oaw 

In this episode, Susan is joined by Rob Brodo, the CEO and Co-Founder of Advantexe, as they continue their series on business acumen strategies. The focus of this episode is on comprehending financial position and key metrics, including the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow report. Rob explains that financial management is just a scoreboard for the company's strategy and that understanding these metrics is crucial in measuring the success of the strategy. He also highlights the importance of cash flow, as it is the lifeblood of any business. The conversation then shifts to the importance of everyone in the company having a basic understanding of financial management and its impact on the company. Join Susan and Rob as they dive into the world of financial management and its impact on business success.
The previous episode in this series is here:
https://rootedinrevenue.com/e/transform-employee-performance-with-strategic-insight/ 
Links related to this episode:
https://www.advantexe.com/business-acumen-virtual-workshop
Rob Brodo on LinkedIn and Twitter
Susan Finch on LinkedIn and Twitter
About Advantexe:
Advantexe Learning Solution's mission is to provide world-class Business simulation-centric Business Acumen, Business Leadership, and Strategic Business Selling talent development solutions to organizations around the world in order to help them execute their business strategies and achieve their goals and objectives. 
Their vision is to be the premier talent development resource partnering with their clients to close the talent gaps that are preventing them from flawlessly executing their strategic initiatives and achieving their short- and long-term business objectives.

In this episode, we cover the importance of understanding business strategy for every person working for a company. Our guest is Rob Brodo. Rob is the Co-Founder and CEO of Advantexe. Rob talks about how many CEOs struggle with leading an organization that lacks a clear understanding of their value proposition to customers. The discussion includes the difference between the "believers" and "non-believers," and the importance of knowing the company's strategy and its impact on a company's success. Listen to this first part of a 4 part series on understanding business strategy and how it can benefit your organization.
Links related to this episode:
https://www.advantexe.com/business-acumen-virtual-workshop
Rob Brodo on LinkedIn and Twitter
Susan Finch on LinkedIn and Twitter
About Advantexe:
Advantexe Learning Solution's mission is to provide world-class Business simulation-centric Business Acumen, Business Leadership, and Strategic Business Selling talent development solutions to organizations around the world in order to help them execute their business strategies and achieve their goals and objectives. 
Their vision is to be the premier talent development resource partnering with their clients to close the talent gaps that are preventing them from flawlessly executing their strategic initiatives and achieving their short- and long-term business objectives.

At least a few times a month I hear from a potential new client that their email marketing efforts produce no results. Once we sit and talk about their process, and how they follow up with the leads they get pretty quiet. This isn't uncommon. If you are struggling to create and execute targeted marketing campaigns that drive new business, you are not alone, especially for small businesses. It’s critical to the growth of your business, but you don’t have the time or the resources to do it and you cannot afford expensive marketing software or a high-priced marketing professional. Many of these small businesses are a team of one, two, or three trying to wear all the hats. They are great at what the company does, but they are not writers, they are not marketers, but they know they need to do this to get in front of existing customers and prospects.  Larry Caretsky, Founder of Commence - a trusted name in CRM is our guest today. Listen to this episode to hear how Commence has solved this common issue of starting, but then dropping the ball on everything after the email is sent through a campaign. There is an answer. Join Larry and Susan for, "Follow Up On the Leads, We'll Do the Rest."
Links from this episode:
Larry Caretsky - [email protected]
Larry on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/larry-caretsky-b3a27824/
Susan on LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/susanmfinch 
Commence - https://commence.com 
The Marketing Enablement Program - https://commence.com/service/marketing-enablement/