Advertise on podcast: Right About Now - Legendary Business Advice

Cisco put AI agents in the hands of all 90,000 of its employees, and Joe Vaccaro, an SVP at Cisco, is here to share what they learned. He joins Ryan Alford to break down how business leaders can roll out agentic AI quickly while still keeping the trust and guardrails that critical systems need. Joe explains why agents act like overconfident teenagers, why clear and specific direction beats vague prompts, and how giving AI the right context changes everything. He also covers the real cost of AI tokens, how model routing will bring that cost down, and when a company should train its own model on its own data. His closing advice is simple: don’t hand AI off to someone else. Use it yourself, because that’s the only way to see where it can really transform your business. Topics Covered: Lessons from Cisco’s company-wide AI agent rollout Why AI is moving faster than any past revolution Guardrails, trust and safety for AI agents Prompting with clarity and context AI costs, model routing and on-device models Turning your data into a competitive advantage Why leaders need to be hands-on with AI POWER YOUR BUSINESS WITH HIGHLEVEL Turn more leads into customers with one platform for CRM, marketing automation, appointment booking, Voice AI and customer follow-up. Start your 30-day free trial using Ryan’s link: https://www.gohighlevel.com/ryanalford Links & Resources: Cisco: https://www.cisco.com/ Joe Vaccaro (Cisco): https://newsroom.cisco.com/c/r/newsroom/en/us/executives/joe-vaccaro.html Joe on X: https://x.com/joevaccaro Project Glasswing: https://www.anthropic.com/glasswing Connect with Ryan Alford: Website: https://www.ryanisright.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-alford/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RightAboutNowwithRyanAlford

Derrick Hayes promised his father he would open a business. Years later, that promise became Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks, a Philly-born, Atlanta-built brand now franchising across the Southeast. The founder and CEO joins Ryan Alford to tell the story of going from selling Italian ice nobody understood to running a cheesesteak spot people fly into Atlanta just to try. Derrick explains what fishing taught him about patience in business, why the winners keep going without proof, and why hustling without mastering your craft just makes you a “hobby hustler.” He also shares his biggest scaling lesson: be humble enough to build a team that challenges you. He also talks about the impact of bringing a business into a community, hiring locally, and his Blue Apron program, which gives young employees a real career path. Topics Covered: The Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks origin story Patience, belief and working without proof Hustling vs. mastering your craft Scaling and franchising a restaurant brand Building the right team and advisors Community impact and creating careers POWER YOUR BUSINESS WITH HIGHLEVEL Turn more leads into customers with one platform for CRM, marketing automation, appointment booking, Voice AI and customer follow-up. Start your 30-day free trial using Ryan’s link: https://www.gohighlevel.com/ryanalford Links & Resources: Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks: https://www.bigdavescheesesteaks.com/ Franchise info: https://www.bigdavescheesesteaks.com/franchise Big Dave’s on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigdavescheesesteaks/ Derrick on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialdhayes/ Connect with Ryan Alford: Website: https://www.ryanisright.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-alford/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RightAboutNowwithRyanAlford

Arturo Nuñez has told stories for some of the biggest brands on earth, including Nike, Apple, the NBA and Pepsi. He joins Ryan Alford to explain what separates great marketing from expensive noise, and why a customer telling your story beats anything a brand can say. Arturo shares rare stories about Kobe Bryant's savage competitiveness, Nike's open, inspirational culture versus Apple's need-to-know secrecy, and the "Bleed Blue" campaign people in India still remember 15 years later. He also predicts that AI could make apps obsolete within two years. It all ties back to his new book, The Culture Compass: Navigate the Corporate World Without Losing Yourself. Arturo makes the case that your culture and your perspective are your edge at work, and that in a world where AI has all the answers, being uniquely human matters more than ever. Topics Covered: Authentic storytelling and word-of-mouth marketing Nike vs. Apple culture from the inside Lessons from Kobe Bryant's obsession with the craft Apple's business model and the future of apps in an AI world Selling what customers actually want Culture as a business advantage Bringing your whole self to work without losing credibility POWER YOUR BUSINESS WITH HIGHLEVEL Turn more leads into customers with one platform for CRM, marketing automation, appointment booking, Voice AI and customer follow-up. Start your 30-day free trial using Ryan's link: https://www.gohighlevel.com/ryanalford Links & Resources: The Culture Compass (Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/Culture-Compass-Navigate-Corporate-Yourself/dp/1668032171 Arturo Nuñez: https://www.arturo-speaks.com/ Arturo on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arturonunezspeaks/ Arturo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arturo-nunez-79329177 Connect with Ryan Alford: Website: https://www.ryanisright.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-alford/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RightAboutNowwithRyanAlford

What if the most profitable car in your driveway is the cheapest one? George Madden, co-founder of Car Rental Coach, joins Ryan Alford to explain how older economy cars under $12,000 can rent for the same price as $30,000 cars. He shares how one $8,300 SUV brought in more than $15,000 in a year. George gives the honest numbers: about $1,000 a month in revenue per car, not the $3,000 people claim online. He also covers the commercial insurance most new hosts get wrong, why you should start with fewer than five cars, and how busy professionals can co-host their fleet and simply collect the check. Ryan also pulls out a lesson for any entrepreneur: document what you learn as you build, because your experience can become a business of its own. Topics Covered: Starting and scaling a Turo car rental business Choosing cars with the best return on investment Real revenue and profit numbers per car Commercial rental insurance and avoiding denied claims Theft, trackers and keeping cars rented Depreciation and tax benefits Co-hosting for hands-off investors Turning expertise into a coaching business POWER YOUR BUSINESS WITH HIGHLEVEL Turn more leads into customers with one platform for CRM, marketing automation, appointment booking, Voice AI and customer follow-up. Start your 30-day free trial using Ryan's link: https://www.gohighlevel.com/ryanalford Links & Resources: Car Rental Coach: https://www.carrentalcoach.com/ Car Rental Coach on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@carrentalcoach Car Rental Coach on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carrentalcoach/ George on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-madden-b824142a3/ Connect with Ryan Alford: Website: https://www.ryanisright.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-alford/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RightAboutNowwithRyanAlford

Is your job a "star" role or an "extra" role? Matt Britton, founder and CEO of Suzy and author of Generation AI, tells Ryan Alford that AI will multiply the impact of creative problem solvers. Meanwhile, anyone who shows up waiting to be told what to do is at risk. Matt explains why Gen Alpha, the first generation raised with AI, will bring the biggest change to business and culture since the internet. He covers why the knowledge economy is collapsing, why he'd put coding and advanced math on the chopping block, and how parents can build creativity into their kids early. Matt also breaks down the three levels of AI, from prompts to automations to fully autonomous agents that can book your family vacation. He finishes with a warning for leaders: companies that don't reorganize for speed now will be the next Circuit City. POWER YOUR BUSINESS WITH HIGHLEVEL Turn more leads into customers with one platform for CRM, marketing automation, appointment booking, Voice AI and customer follow-up. Start your 30-day free trial using Ryan's link: https://www.gohighlevel.com/ryanalford Topics Covered: Gen Alpha and the AI-native generation Why AI is replacing "extras" and 10x-ing "stars" The future of college, trade skills and the knowledge economy Should kids still learn coding and math? Why prompt engineering is already dead The 3 levels of AI: prompts, automations and agents Robotics, AI wearables and life after the smartphone Voice cloning, AI avatars and the "real human" backlash Speed, organizational design and why many CEOs won't change Links & Resources: Generation AI by Matt Britton: https://www.amazon.com/Generation-AI-Alpha-Change-Everything/dp/139430885X/ Matt Britton: https://www.mattbritton.com/ Suzy: https://www.suzy.com/ Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattbbritton/ Matt on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattbrittonnyc Connect with Ryan Alford: Website: https://www.ryanisright.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-alford/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RightAboutNowwithRyanAlford

Marketing channels have changed dramatically since Jason Kocina began helping companies build websites in the 1990s, but he argues that the foundation of effective marketing remains the same. The Publicity.com partner and digital marketing president joins Ryan Alford to explain how businesses can protect their visibility as audiences move from traditional search engines to AI-generated answers. Ryan and Jason explore the evolving relationship between earned media, SEO, content marketing, paid advertising, social media, and sales automation. Jason explains why companies need documented messaging, a clearly defined audience, and consistent brand language before an agency or AI platform can market them effectively. They also discuss how skilled professionals use AI to work faster without sacrificing originality, strategy, or human judgment. This episode gives business owners a practical approach to choosing marketing channels, building authority, and remaining discoverable as search behavior continues to change. POWER YOUR BUSINESS WITH HIGHLEVEL HighLevel helps businesses manage leads, automate follow-up, book appointments, and use AI to keep opportunities moving. Start your 30-day free trial using Ryan’s link: https://www.gohighlevel.com/ryanalford TOPICS COVERED Jason Kocina’s experience in digital marketing The similarities between the internet revolution and AI Declining organic search traffic Referral traffic from ChatGPT, Gemini, and Grok AI visibility and the future of SEO Creating consistent company messaging Earned media and third-party credibility Public relations, paid media, and content marketing Selecting channels based on the target customer Marketing automation and sales follow-up Using AI to improve professional efficiency The marketing fundamentals that never change CONNECT WITH JASON KOCINA Publicity.com: https://www.publicity.com/ About Publicity.com: https://www.publicity.com/our-story/ Marketing Resources: https://www.publicity.com/publicity-resources/ The CEO’s Guide to Marketing: https://greenleafbookgroup.com/titles/the-ceos-guide-to-marketing LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/media-relations-inc-/ CONNECT WITH RYAN ALFORD AND RIGHT ABOUT NOW Right About Now: https://www.ryanisright.com/ Ryan Alford: https://www.ryanalford.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-alford/

Many successful professionals are already coaching people for free without realizing their experience could become a meaningful source of income. Mitch Matthews joins Ryan Alford to share the Authority Bridge, his framework for adding coaching, speaking, and consulting to an existing career without destroying the life you have already built. They discuss why a small, well-defined audience can outperform a massive following, what most coach-training programs leave out, and how value-based promotion creates trust and consistent content. Mitch also explains why imposter syndrome can signal growth, how human connection keeps coaches valuable in the age of AI, and why the best coaches help clients uncover answers they already possess. The conversation offers a practical way to define success, dream bigger, and turn your knowledge into greater income, impact, and freedom. SPONSOR HighLevel gives entrepreneurs one platform for lead management, marketing automation, appointment booking, and customer follow-up. Start your 30-day free trial using Ryan’s link: https://www.gohighlevel.com/ryanalford TOPICS COVERED The Authority Bridge business model Monetizing your professional knowledge and experience Starting a coaching business without leaving your career Building substantial income without a massive following Creating a clear audience, offer, and outcome The business education missing from coaching certifications Teaching from your journey instead of your destination Overcoming imposter syndrome and comparison Coaching, human connection, and artificial intelligence Asking questions that inspire action The Dream Think Do approach to personal growth Creating more income, impact, and career flexibility CONNECT WITH MITCH MATTHEWS Official Website: https://mitchmatthews.com/ Authority Bridge: https://mitchmatthews.com/authoritybridge/ DREAM THINK DO Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dream-think-do-motivation-encouragement-strategy/id958773768 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mitch.matthews/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchmatthews/ CONNECT WITH RYAN ALFORD AND RIGHT ABOUT NOW Right About Now: https://www.ryanisright.com/ Ryan Alford: https://www.ryanalford.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-alford/

Artificial intelligence is transforming the workforce faster than schools and employers can update how they prepare people for it. Ryan Lufkin, Vice President of Global Academic Strategy at Instructure, joins Ryan Alford to examine the widening gap between traditional education and the skills modern businesses actually need. They discuss whether college degrees still hold value, why lifelong learning has become essential, and how certificates and microcredentials can help professionals remain competitive. Ryan also explains why communication, creativity, judgment, collaboration, and subject-matter expertise become more valuable as AI takes over routine work. The conversation offers a practical look at AI literacy, employee training, the future of entry-level jobs, and what businesses must do to develop an adaptable workforce. POWER YOUR BUSINESS WITH HIGHLEVEL Save time, strengthen your follow-up, and manage more of your business from one AI-powered platform. Start your 30-day free trial using Ryan’s link: https://www.gohighlevel.com/ryanalford TOPICS COVERED The widening gap between education and employment AI’s effect on entry-level career opportunities Why workers feel unprepared for the modern workplace Degrees versus skills-based hiring Certificates, credentials, and continuing education The importance of AI literacy Why subject-matter expertise still matters Human skills that are difficult to automate The changing value of coding Employer responsibility for employee development The risks of failing to train existing employees Using AI to expand employee capabilities How Canvas supports modern education Preparing students for an AI-powered workforce CONNECT WITH RYAN LUFKIN Instructure: https://www.instructure.com/ Canvas: https://www.instructure.com/canvas Educast 3000: https://www.instructure.com/resources/podcast Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/educast-3000/id1751576704 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2QTGC57NLu4id9FhV8GWZu CONNECT WITH RYAN ALFORD AND RIGHT ABOUT NOW Right About Now: https://www.ryanisright.com/ Ryan Alford: https://www.ryanalford.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-alford/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RightAboutNowwithRyanAlford

Robin Alex, co-founder of GoHighLevel, joins Ryan Alford to explain how better systems can make businesses more productive, profitable, and prepared to scale. He shares how GoHighLevel brings CRM, marketing automation, lead management, customer communication, scheduling, and other essential tools into one platform. Robin and Ryan examine the hidden costs of disconnected technology, manual follow-up, and inefficient workflows. They also discuss how business owners can use automation and AI to respond to leads faster, provide a stronger customer experience, and give their teams more time to focus on revenue-producing work. This episode offers a practical look at how the right technology can simplify business operations without eliminating the human relationships that drive long-term growth. BUILD A MORE EFFICIENT BUSINESS WITH GOHIGHLEVEL Replace disconnected tools, automate time-consuming tasks, and manage your marketing, sales, and customer relationships from one platform. EXPLORE GOHIGHLEVEL WITH RYAN: https://gohighlevel.com/ryanalford Topics Covered How GoHighLevel simplifies business operations Replacing disconnected tools with one central platform Improving lead management and response times Automating repetitive marketing and sales tasks Creating more consistent customer communication Increasing team efficiency and productivity Using AI without losing the human element Building scalable systems for sustainable growth Connect With Robin Alex and Ryan Alford Get started with GoHighLevel: https://gohighlevel.com/ryanalford Robin Alex on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinalex GoHighLevel: https://www.gohighlevel.com/ Right About Now: https://www.ryanisright.com/ Ryan Alford: https://www.ryanalford.com/ Ryan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford/

Real estate investor Justin Brennan grew up around construction and watched his father’s business collapse during the 2008 financial crisis. He joins Ryan Alford on Right About Now to explain how that experience led him toward recurring-income assets, apartment investing, and a collaborative approach to raising capital. Ryan and Justin discuss real estate syndication, cash flow, bonus depreciation, and the two forms of value an investor can bring to a deal: check equity or sweat equity. Justin explains how someone with limited capital can become valuable by finding, analyzing, structuring, and managing promising multifamily properties. Beyond the financial strategies, they examine money as a tool for freedom, philanthropy, generational wealth, and greater control over your time. This conversation is educational and should not replace personalized financial, legal, or tax advice. THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY GOHIGHLEVEL GoHighLevel helps businesses and agencies manage leads, automate follow-up, book appointments, and keep customer conversations moving from one platform. Explore GoHighLevel with Ryan Alford: gohighlevel.com/ryanalford TOPICS COVERED Justin Brennan’s third-generation real estate background Lessons from his family’s bankruptcy in 2008 Purchasing his first rental with partner capital Building recurring income through multifamily real estate Moving from owning a job to owning investments Raising capital through real estate syndication Other people’s money and strategic partnerships Bringing sweat equity when you lack capital Finding, underwriting, and managing apartment deals Potential tax advantages of real estate ownership The limits of passive-income promises Philanthropy, freedom, and generational wealth CONNECT WITH JUSTIN BRENNAN Justin Brennan: https://www.justincbrennan.com/ Brennan Pohle Group: https://www.brennanpohle.com/ Multifamily Schooled: https://www.multifamilyschooled.com/ Free Multifamily Playbook: https://www.multifamilyschooled.com/free-guide Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialjustinbrennan/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JustinBrennan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinbrennan CONNECT WITH RYAN ALFORD AND RIGHT ABOUT NOW Right About Now: https://www.ryanisright.com/ Ryan Alford: https://www.ryanalford.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RightAboutNowwithRyanAlford

The workforce shortage is not only a labor problem. According to Nicole Feenstra, it is also a storytelling and marketing problem created by companies that fail to make their opportunities meaningful. The DNA Agency founder joins Ryan Alford on Right About Now to discuss employer branding, workforce development, skilled trades, artificial intelligence, employee retention, and the changing expectations of younger workers. They explain why employers should communicate purpose, career growth, impact, and culture instead of relying on generic job descriptions. Nicole also shares how digital advertising, audience targeting, geofencing, customer journeys, and rapid campaign testing can help organizations reach the right candidates. This conversation gives business owners a practical framework for making their companies more attractive to the people they want to hire. THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY GOHIGHLEVEL GoHighLevel helps businesses and agencies manage leads, automate follow-up, book appointments, and keep customer conversations moving from one platform. Explore GoHighLevel with Ryan Alford: https://www.gohighlevel.com/?fp_ref=ryanalford TOPICS COVERED Employer branding and recruitment marketing Why job descriptions have become “word salad” Communicating the value of work Marketing jobs as opportunities The construction and skilled-trades shortage How AI could reshape the workforce Careers that still require human skills Attracting candidates through storytelling Employee retention, training, and advancement Purpose-driven work and younger generations Improving the online application funnel Geofencing workforce-development events Measuring recruitment campaigns Niche marketing and audience identification Testing messages before perfecting campaigns CONNECT WITH NICOLE FEENSTRA The DNA Agency: https://thednagency.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolefeenstra Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenicolefeenstra/ The DNA Agency on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-dna-agency CONNECT WITH RYAN ALFORD AND RIGHT ABOUT NOW Right About Now: https://www.ryanisright.com/ Ryan Alford: https://www.ryanalford.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-alford/

Jason Brown grew up sleeping in sleeping bags, entered the stock market with $500, and eventually transformed a $10,000 student loan into a six-figure trading account. After one emotional trade wiped out approximately $250,000, he was forced to move home and rebuild his finances and investment strategy from the beginning. On Right About Now, The Brown Report founder and Five-Year Millionaire author joins Ryan Alford to explain how that failure reshaped his approach to risk, options trading, and wealth accumulation. Together, Ryan and Jason discuss financial advisors, stock charts, paper trading, financial literacy, and the importance of knowing when to exit a losing position. Jason also outlines his Five-Year Millionaire framework while emphasizing the education, practice, and discipline required before risking real money. This episode is for educational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. TOPICS COVERED Jason Brown’s childhood and early interest in wealth Losing most of his first professionally managed investment Making his first $100 trading Sprint stock Growing a student loan into a six-figure account The trade that wiped out approximately $250,000 Greed, ego, and emotional investing Risk management and predetermined exit points Stock charts, fundamentals, and market patterns Using options for leverage and portfolio protection Paper trading and practicing with realistic amounts Evaluating financial advisors and investment funds The Five-Year Millionaire wealth-building framework Teaching financial literacy at an earlier age CONNECT WITH JASON BROWN The Brown Report: https://thebrownreport.com/ Free Trading Resources: https://thebrownreport.com/account/ Five-Year Millionaire: https://fiveyearmillionaire.com/ Power Trades University: https://powertradesuniversity.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brownreport/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonbrown1124/ CONNECT WITH RYAN ALFORD AND RIGHT ABOUT NOW Right About Now: https://www.ryanisright.com/ Ryan Alford: https://www.ryanalford.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RightAboutNowwithRyanAlford

Brett Farmiloe built Featured after seeing small-business owners with deep expertise but no reliable way to get quoted by the media. He joins Ryan Alford to discuss earned media, digital PR, AI search visibility, and the revival of Help a Reporter Out. They explain how media citations may influence LLM recommendations, why AI is compressing the marketing funnel, and why a single high-profile feature rarely produces instant revenue. Brett also shares how Featured and HARO connect journalists with verified experts while giving publishers greater control over AI-generated responses. The conversation offers a realistic strategy for building authority, earning backlinks, reaching customers, and becoming more visible across traditional search and AI platforms. TOPICS COVERED Brett Farmiloe’s journey from agency owner to Featured founder The difference between paid media and earned media How businesses can earn credible media coverage AI search optimization, AEO, and GEO Getting cited and recommended by large language models How ChatGPT is changing the customer journey Why PR results are difficult to measure Consistency, quality, and quantity in media outreach The acquisition and relaunch of Help a Reporter Out Connecting journalists with verified expert sources Using AI without removing human expertise Free and paid ways to begin using Featured and HARO CONNECT WITH BRETT FARMILOE Featured: https://featured.com/ Help a Reporter Out: https://www.helpareporter.com/ Brett on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brettfarmiloe Brett on X: https://x.com/BrettFarmiloe CONNECT WITH RYAN ALFORD AND RIGHT ABOUT NOW Right About Now: https://www.ryanisright.com/ Ryan Alford: https://www.ryanalford.com/ Ryan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford/ Ryan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-alford/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/right-about-now-legendary-business-advice/id1346054199 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0gy9HkTiwpAAgu1DFyIW9h YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RightAboutNowwithRyanAlford

Lisa Holladay has spent her career building loyalty for Mercedes-Benz, The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, and now TIGER 21. She joins Ryan Alford to explain how intentional customer experience turns transactions into lasting relationships and why product quality alone cannot create brand love. Their conversation covers customer journey mapping, experiential marketing, surprise-and-delight moments, community building, and the challenge of creating meaningful value for ultra-high-net-worth members. Lisa also takes Ryan inside TIGER 21’s peer-learning model, where entrepreneurs and executives connect around investing, family, philanthropy, health, and life after a major business exit. Lisa and Ryan discuss what changed when she moved from global corporations with massive sponsorship budgets to an entrepreneurial organization where ideas can be tested quickly and leaders are trusted to take risks. TOPICS COVERED Lisa Holladay’s career at Mercedes-Benz and Marriott Building luxury customer experiences The relationship between brand love and customer loyalty Why a strong product is only one part of retention Designing an intentional customer journey Creating memorable experiential marketing Building communities instead of customer lists TIGER 21’s peer-to-peer learning model Serving entrepreneurs after a major liquidity event Connecting wealth, family, philanthropy, and purpose Maintaining engagement through digital and in-person experiences Creating an entrepreneurial culture inside a growing organization CONNECT WITH LISA HOLLADAY TIGER 21: https://tiger21.com/ Lisa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisaholladay01 Lisa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/holladaytime/ CONNECT WITH RYAN ALFORD AND RIGHT ABOUT NOW Right About Now: https://www.ryanisright.com/ Ryan Alford: https://www.ryanalford.com/ Ryan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford/ Ryan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-alford/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/right-about-now-legendary-business-advice/id1346054199 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0gy9HkTiwpAAgu1DFyIW9h YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RightAboutNowwithRyanAlford

Yarin Gaon started his first company at 14, built and sold Israel’s largest military-goods e-commerce platform, and now helps founder-led businesses make smarter decisions about growth. On Right About Now, he joins Ryan Alford to explain why so many companies stall after reaching $1 million to $5 million in revenue and how “growth by subtraction” can improve profitability. Their conversation covers profit mapping, unprofitable bestsellers, ideal customer profiles, leadership alignment, and the hidden risks of building custom technology. Yarin also explains why entrepreneurs should establish predictable cash flow before raising outside capital and why keeping equity can matter more than chasing a bigger revenue number. This episode offers a practical framework for business owners who want stronger margins, fewer distractions, and a company that actually pays them more. TOPICS COVERED Starting a software business at 14 Building and selling an Israeli e-commerce company Why custom-built technology can hurt a business exit The difference between revenue, profit, and EBITDA Why founder-led companies stall between $1 million and $5 million Growth by addition versus growth by subtraction Finding negative-margin products through profit mapping The plumbing company whose popular service lost hundreds of thousands Identifying the right customers, offers, and marketing channels Why hustle and operational systems are not substitutes for strategy Bootstrapping versus raising venture capital Preserving founder equity while building a profitable business CONNECT WITH YARIN GAON Fractional Partners: https://www.fractional.partners/ Growth Decisions Canvas: https://canvas.fractional.partners/ Growth Bottleneck Snapshot: https://snapshot.fractional.partners/ Free Profit Map: https://www.fractional.partners/free-tools/profit-map LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yaringaon/ CONNECT WITH RYAN ALFORD AND RIGHT ABOUT NOW Right About Now: https://www.ryanisright.com/ Ryan Alford: https://www.ryanalford.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-alford/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RightAboutNowwithRyanAlford