Breakfast Leadership Show Michael D. Levitt

Mosongo Moukwa is a seasoned executive and consultant who has dedicated his career to helping companies thrive by commercializing new technologies, diversifying their product offerings, and entering new markets.
Across thirty-plus years in leadership, Mosongo has applied his unique talent for identifying leadership gaps and developing the talent andculture necessary for success. He helps solve important innovation challenges that hold organizations back by unleashing the collective creativity of their people.
As a thought leader in leadership development and organizational change, Mosongo has shared his insights such as leadership demystified with Human Capital, and panel discussions on neuroscience, project management, and business moderated by Wanda Curlee of American Public University. His articles have appeared in Business Today, The Journal of Creative Behavior, Crain’s Cleveland Business, and R&D Innovator, and he is a regular contributor to Business Standard.
Mosongo serves as the President at Hathaway Advanced Materials and has held leadership positions in R & D and operations at some of the world’s most respected brands, including vice president, global technology at SC Johnson; vice president, global technology at Reichhold; vice president, technology at Asian Paints; director of technology at Avient (formerly PolyOne); and chief, global R & D at PCBL (formerly Phillips Carbon Black Ltd.).
Connect With Mosongo: 
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/mosongomoukwa/
Book:  https://amzn.to/493kFLp
 

Aslak has nearly 20 years of experience as a practitioner and instructor of Han Moo Do martial arts, competing in about 100 full-contact fights and winning the World Championship gold medal in Michigan, USA, in 2000. Martial arts has taught him the importance of leaders being life-long learners and coaching others.Aslak is also the CEO of Selfly Store, where they use the latest developments in loT, machine learning, and AI to offer smart vending machines that make grab-and-go food shopping as easy as using your home fridge.Selfly Stores are used by 100+ companies in 22 countries across Europe, and in 2023, Selfly Store was named among the "50 Most Innovative Companies To Watch" by CEO Views.Aslak, who was recognized by Chief's Digest as one of the "10 Best CEOs to Watch in 2023" has been leading teams and companies for 15+ years. Before becoming CEO at Selfly Store, he was the CEO of Nordic Business Forum, one of the world's biggest business and leadership conferences, with 7K+ attendees annually from 50+ countries and featuring world-class speakers like Barack Obama, George Clooney, and Steve Wozniak.https://www.linkedin.com/in/aslakdesilva/https://twitter.com/aslakdshttps://twitter.com/SelflyStore



Meeting with oscarhamilton.com

Aslak De Silva Breakfast Leadership Show Oscar Hamilton
April 09, 2024  •  24 mins  •  View Recording & Summary





 
 


 



Introduction and background @ 0:00
Aslak introduced himself as CEO of Selfly Store, an intelligent vending machine company operating in over 20 countries. He discussed his prior experience leading a leadership conference and saw synergies between the roles.
Selfly Store's intelligent vending machines and international operations @ 1:20
Aslak detailed Selfly Store's use of predictive analytics and AI to optimize over 15 nationalities' vending machine inventory, pricing, and sales based on real-time data from weather, holidays, and times of day.
Predictive analytics and dynamic pricing opportunities @ 2:35
Michael praised Selfly Store's data-driven approach and discussed using supply-and-demand pricing to maximize profits and convenience, like surging prices for high-demand items at lunchtime.
Convenience, accessibility, and growth opportunities for vending machines @ 3:25
Michael highlighted vending machines' expanding product ranges for forgotten airport items and noted their space-saving and labor-saving benefits over queues. Both agreed on vast growth opportunities, especially through predictive placement and inventory.
Maximizing sales through product selection, bundling, and upselling @ 10:19
Aslak detailed how AI revealed pairing Coke and Pepsi increased sales, and Selfly Store's machines encourage larger baskets through touch-and-feel browsing and friends' joint purchases.
Balancing work and personal life to avoid burnout @ 12:53
Aslak shared his approach to "Tetris-ing" blocks of family, health, work and education by combining activities, like training with his daughters while listening to audiobooks.
Future of vending machines in travel, last-mile delivery and on-demand ordering @ 18:45
Both predicted the rise of "half-mile stores" and predictive, on-demand vending for coincidental needs along journeys, to replace struggling malls with greater proximity and customized just-in-time inventory and delivery.

Paul Franco is a Certified Financial Planner™️️️, Chartered Financial Consultant®️️, Behavioral Financial Advisor, and founder of Life Well Lived Financial Group, an independent wealth management firm. A thirty-year veteran of the financial advising industry, Paul operates three locations in Colorado, where he enjoys skiing, hiking, running, fishing, and traveling. He is the author of Success with Succession: How to Sell Your Asset Management and Financial Advice Practice.

Summary



Paul Franco's background and business strategy @ 0:00
Paul Franco is a 30-year veteran of the financial services industry, with a firm called Life Well Live Financial Group in Colorado. Over the past 8-10 years, he has focused on acquiring the practices of retiring financial advisors as a growth strategy, rather than trying to build his client base one client at a time.
The importance of succession planning @ 4:39
Paul explains that he came up with this acquisition strategy after realizing that most financial advisors and business owners are unprepared for their own succession and retirement. Many think they will never retire, but fail to plan for the unexpected. Paul emphasizes the importance of having a clear succession plan in place, even for younger business owners.
Challenges with abrupt transitions @ 12:57
Paul shares an example of an early acquisition where the retiring advisor did not provide enough time for a smooth transition, leading to many clients choosing to leave rather than work with the new advisor. He stresses the importance of allowing ample time for the new owner to get to know the clients and build relationships before the full transition.
Collaboration over competition @ 18:19
Michael and Paul discuss the value of viewing other businesses in the same industry as colleagues rather than competitors. They emphasize the importance of networking and building relationships with potential buyers or sellers, rather than operating in silos.
Paul's book on selling financial advisory practices @ 19:27
Paul shares that he wrote a book called "Success with Succession" to help financial advisors and other business owners prepare their practices for a smooth sale or transition, rather than just closing their doors and leaving clients in the lurch.
Recap and resources @ 23:04
Michael and Paul wrap up the conversation, with Paul providing his website (successwithsuccession.com) where listeners can find more information and sign up for his newsletter.



 

Dr. Paul White is a psychologist, author, and speaker who “makes work relationships work.” He has written articles for and been interviewed by BBC News, Business Week, the New York Times, CNN/Fortune.com, Entrepreneur.com, Fast Company, Fortune, FoxBusiness.com, U.S. News and World Report, Washington Post, and Yahoo! Finance.As a speaker and trainer, Dr. White has taught worldwide, including North America, Europe, South America, Asia, and the Caribbean. His expertise has been requested by PepsiCo, Microsoft, NASA, L’Oreal, Ritz Carlton, Starbucks, Boeing, HP, Exxon Mobile, DIRECTB, and numerous other multinational organizations.Dr. White is the coauthor of the best-selling book, The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace, which has sold over 575,000 copies (written with Dr. Gary Chapman, author of the #1 NY Times bestseller, The 5 Love Languages) and has been translated into 25 languages.Based on their extensive research and expertise, Dr. White and Dr. Chapman have developed practical ways for leaders and employees to communicate authentic appreciation that leads to increased employee engagement, lower staff turnover, more positive work environments, and higher productivity.Additionally, their online assessment, the Motivating By Appreciation Inventory, has been taken by over 375,000 employees worldwide and is available in multiple languages.Cited as a thought leader in developing healthy workplace relationships, his speaking style has been described as “world-class” expertise providing practical, easily implemented information with the right touch of humor.”facebook.com/appreciationatworklinkedin.com/in/paul-white-ph-d-317826instagram.com/appreciationatworkX (Twitter): @drpaulwhite
Book:  https://amzn.to/3TEJDtA

Quick recap
Michael and Lisa discussed the importance of training and development within organizations, the evolving nature of leadership, and the role of cognitive biases in decision-making. They emphasized the need to create opportunities, manage expectations, and find the right fit when hiring. Lisa shared her motivations for writing her book on understanding and managing leadership biases, and they both stressed the importance of pausing, reflecting, and thinking things through to mitigate potential risks.
 
 
Summary
Training, Leadership, and Adaptability
Michael expressed his desire to train and develop individuals within his organization, highlighting instances where he had given recommendations that led to improved roles and opportunities. He also emphasized the importance of leadership and ongoing challenges. Lisa, an executive recruiter, joined the conversation, and they discussed the evolving nature of leadership, the importance of adaptability, and the need to utilize available resources. Michael also mentioned the importance of reaching out for help in achieving a common goal.
Leadership Biases in Writing and Decision-Making
Lisa shared her motivations for writing her book, which focused on understanding and managing leadership biases. She highlighted the challenges leaders face, particularly in remote work and the pandemic context, and emphasized the importance of being aware of biases. Lisa and Michael discussed the role of cognitive biases in decision-making, particularly in leadership, and how they can hinder the ability to adapt and process information. They stressed the importance of finding the right fit and managing expectations and highlighted the role of biases in the hiring process.
Creating Opportunities: Healthcare Receptionist's Journey
Michael shared a story about his experience as a healthcare executive, where he hired a medical receptionist without any healthcare experience. He emphasized that the candidate's experience in handling difficult situations in a retail setting was seen as a positive. Despite initial concerns from the board and other doctors, the receptionist proved to be highly effective. Later, when a similar opportunity arose at a clinic closer to her home, she was hired and eventually rose through the ranks to run the clinic. Michael emphasized the importance of creating opportunities and the individual's responsibility to take advantage of them.
Leadership, Bias, and Perspective
Michael and Lisa engaged in a conversation about leadership and overcoming biases. Michael shared an experience where he identified a talent in someone and provided an opportunity for them to thrive, irrespective of traditional checks and biases. Lisa emphasized the importance of first principles in evaluating candidates and stressed the need to step outside of personal biases to help individuals and organizations grow. She recommended the book 'Range' by David Epstein, which discusses the importance of having a broader perspective. In the end, Michael asked Lisa about her favorite chapters in her book, to which Lisa responded that specific chapters resonate more because she identifies with some of the biases discussed.
Balancing Intuition and Logic in Leadership
Lisa and Michael discussed the role of intuition and logic in leadership, highlighting the need to balance these biases. Lisa emphasized the potential risks associated with relying solely on intuition without applying logic, suggesting the need for countermeasures such as data analysis and perspective gathering to mitigate these risks. Additionally, Michael shared an anecdote of a successful staff member who was initially doubted but ended up being an asset to the team, underscoring the importance of giving opportunities and considering new ideas.
Bias Recognition and Leadership
Lisa and Michael engaged in a conversation about the importance of recognizing and managing biases, particularly in leadership roles. They emphasized the value

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