Unleashed - How to Thrive as an Independent Professional Will Bachman

Dr. Ron Razmi discusses his book, AI Doctor: The Rise of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare, which focuses on the applications of AI in various areas of healthcare. Ron talks about AI as a foundational technology that uses statistical methods to analyze data and understand its meaning. It can be applied to various areas, such as coding and documentation, and can create algorithms to analyze heartbeats and detect abnormal rhythms.
 
AI Use in Diagnostics
In diagnostics, AI can be helpful in analyzing clean structured data, such as radiology files from CAT scans or MRIs. AI can be trained to identify bleeding or abnormalities on these scans, but it must be trained on specific abnormalities. Currently, AI excels in radiology due to the digitized and structured data, but it's not as effective in narrative formats. Ron states that AI's applications in healthcare are vast and deep, and while it's still in its early stages, it has the potential to revolutionize various sectors, including healthcare.



AI Tools in Radiology and Triage
AI is increasingly being used in various fields, including radiology, dermatology, and sound AI. In radiology, AI tools are helping radiologists identify potential issues that might have been missed in traditional workflows. There are applications that read CAT scans for bleeding and stroke in acute settings, allowing radiologists to quickly identify and treat stroke patients. This helps in regaining function and ensuring patient recovery. AI can also aid in triage, prioritizing tasks based on urgency. 
 
AI in Dermatology
In dermatology, AI applications can help diagnose skin lesions. Additionally, sonar technology can be used to monitor people's activity and detect falls. This passive data collection method allows AI to analyze the signals and take action, reducing the need for manual data entry and manual data input. This technology is particularly effective for elderly individuals who may not want to be monitored with cameras, as 50% of falls occur in the bathroom. This technology is particularly useful for those who prefer to stay home but still need constant monitoring, such as those in assisted or independent living facilities. 
 
AI in Cardiology
In cardiology, AI tools can help read EKGs, which are crucial for diagnosing heart conditions. Historically, algorithms have been used to read EKGs, but they were often basic and inaccurate. AI has shown great promise in finding abnormalities on single lead data collection, as it can discern the rhythm of an EKG from a live core or smartphone application. This field-based data collection could significantly reduce the simple analytic and downstream work needed by clinicians in the medical staff. 
 
AI in Therapeutics
AI takes action in therapeutics, such as providing assistance to patients with mental health issues. AI chatbots can interact with patients who need help and provide frontline assistance until they see a mental health professional. Generative AI has improved natural language processing capabilities, which has been a problem area for AI in healthcare due to the heavy use of medical jargon in doctor's notes. This will allow for more efficient interactions with healthcare consumers and better guidance in their care. However, there is still much work to be done in this promising area.
 
Technology and Medication Adherence in Healthcare
The conversation turns to medication adherence, which is a significant problem in healthcare. Long-term studies show that people who have had a heart attack are more likely to stay compliant with their medications, with the refill rate for statins being the highest documented rate. However, most people do not follow their prescription advice. Technology is part of the solution to this problem. AI technology can potentially analyze data and interact with patients at the appropriate moment to ensure they are aware of the needs, issues, and dates of medication use or the lack of, whi

Show Notes:
The Benefits of Somatics
Divya Agarwal, founder of Vivekam, explains what somatics is and what the benefits are. Somatics is a term used to describe ​body-based techniques that can be used with the body to build more body/mind awareness, manage emotions, and respond more effectively. ​T​hese practices involve using ​techniques such as breathing, generating heat, and visualization practices to sense oneself better and improve self-awareness.
 
These practices can help individuals feel more connected to their emotions and be present in various situations, such as negotiations or job evaluations. Mindful presence, which has been emphasized in mainstream literature and coaching, is another way to be present. However, there is a growing trend towards using “embodiment” (the quality of being/feeling the body) as a way to enter presence. Some simply techniques to build embodiment involved breathing exercises, visualization exercises, and body scans.
Divya explains that somatics works at the nervous system level. Over time, these practices rewire the body and teach the nervous system to respond differently, making it easier to come into presence and calmness.
 
Building Embodiment with Somatics
Divya discusses the difference between exercise and somatics. She touches on the concept of embodiment, or being embodied, in relation to exercise. She believes that being in the body allows us to be more present and feel emotions such as anger, joy, anxiety, and fear and to manage those emotions. Divya states that the more we are embodied, the more we can be aware of emotions (since they show up as sensations in the body), and then choose how we respond with those emotions. Body-based techniques like breathing and visualization can help manage these emotions.
 
The science behind starts with some basics of the brain and nervous system. To keep it simply, understand three areas: the amygdala​ (base of brain, often called "the reptilian brain"), the sympathetic nervous system, and the parasympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system responds to reactive stimuli and triggers the amygdala into action (fight, flight, or freeze), while the parasympathetic nervous system allows us to be calm and relaxed. The goal of body-based techniques is to help us be in the parasympathetic mode more effectively and more easily. 
 
The Parasympathetic Nervous System and Heart Variability Rate
Divya talks about the importance of the parasympathetic nervous system in maintaining a healthy balance and resilience. She mentions heart rate variability, which is a biomarker that reflects the variations in the amount of time between your heartbeats. The more variation your heart has, the higher your HRV. Higher heart rate variability indicates that the heart can have and manage different intervals of time. ​Those in the medical field will discuss how high HRV is good and indicates that there is balance in the nervous system between Sympathetic and Parasympathetic nervous system response. In short, high HRV is an indicator of someone's capacity to have higher resilience​. The nervous system is connected to our whole body as a response mechanism to our outside world.
 
Practices to Improve the Parasympathetic Nervous System
Divya introduces three practices to build embodiment. The first practice involves rubbing hands together, focusing on the lower belly and noticing breath. The second practice is box breathing, which involves inhaling for a count of four, retaining the inhale, exhaling for your own count of four, and retaining at the “bottom of the exhale.” Over time, as one develops the capacity for expanded breathing, you may increase this to 4 in / 6 out, 6 in/ 8 out etc. She encourages reflection on what may be noticed during these practices. Divya states that it helps people remember their physical container around the mind and brings awareness of a deeper breath. She also mentions that

Kathy Hines, former Chief Marketing Officer at brands like Dickies and Vice President at brands like North Face and Kipling ,shares her experiences. She started her career in career management consulting at Bain and later went on to Nike, where she gained foundational experience in lifestyle and sports marketing. At Kipling, she led marketing strategy and E-commerce. She then led marketing and strategy for the North Face in Europe. After a four-year stint in VF Europe, she returned to the US and took on the role of global chief marketing officer for Dickies in Texas, where she was also responsible for licensing. Her experience at VF has given her a broad range of skills and experiences.
Developing a Professional Marketing Plan
Using a sports and lifestyles brand as an example, Kathy shares her process for developing a professional marketing plan. She begins by identifying the brand's aligned corporate strategy and working closely with the leadership team to understand financials and operational opportunities. The team then collectively develops long-term objectives, such as being the leader in performance and lifestyle apparel across key markets.
For example, strategic choices include improving gross to net profits, targeting specific geographies, such as the UK, China, and the US, or focusing on elevating iconic products to consumers. The latter approach allows the brand to ensure it is the best in the world at that product. The marketing strategy should align with these strategic objectives and align with the brand foundations, which include the purpose of the brand, brand values, and brand personality.
The Importance of Brand Foundations
The brand foundations are essential for the marketing team to align on who they are and why they exist. These foundations include the brand purpose, the brand values, which define the brand, and the brand personality, which guides the direction of the brand in terms of the brand and design guidelines which are visual manifestations of the brand, while the tone document informs global communications, PR, and social media. The marketing plan should also include a clear vision for the brand, a clear mission statement, and a clear communication strategy. By focusing on these areas, the marketing team can create a comprehensive and effective marketing plan that aligns with the brand's long-term objectives and strategic choices.
Examples of Brand Purpose and Its Place in the Marketing Plan
Kathy shares several examples of brand purposes, including Kipling's brand purpose of making happy, and Napapijri’s brand purpose of Unlimit the Future. These examples demonstrate the power of brand purpose in shaping a company's identity and strategy. A marketing plan can be a singular page or a series of sub-chapters, with the brand purpose at the top. The purpose is the pinnacle of the brand, defining its values, personnel, and personality. Sub-chapters can include marketing-related details and strategic choices to align the brand foundations with corporate strategy. If the brand purpose is a one-page manifestation, subsequent pages can further explore the brand purpose, values, personality, and how these factors inform communications in PR, social media, and ecommerce. These drill-downs are crucial for ensuring alignment with the brand's overall vision and strategy.
Segmentation in Marketing
Kathy discusses the importance of segmentation in marketing, stating that while it is important to understand a brand's core consumer base, it is also crucial to consider the potential of the audience and the growth of that audience. For example, if a brand is rooted in an extreme sport, and the core consumer is an extreme athlete, branching out from there to less extreme athletes who do not compete, or a consumer who is inspired by the sport can help unlock and grow the brand by connecting the core consumer to concentric circles that ripple out from the center. 
Price Strategies in Marketing
Price stra

Show Notes:
Dimitris Samouris discusses the development of a tool called Junior, an SaaS tool built on large language models and speech to text models. It leverages AI to help process primary research workstreams, particularly in the due diligence process, especially for primary interviews.
How Junior Works - A SaaS Tool to Clean Transcripts
Junior helps automate a significant portion of the administrative tasks associated with research execution, allowing users to focus more on the big picture answer rather than the execution side of things. The tool provides a highly accurate transcript of each call, including the name, segment, company, customer size, date and time of the interview, call status, and review status. The call tracker is a knowledge repository that displays the names, segments, job title, company, customer size, country, date and time of the interview, call status, and review status. The call screen is a customizable project management tool for running the call workstream. Junior has three parts: a call drawer, which has three parts: verbatim transcript, clean transcript, and audio file backup. The first step is to chunking the verbatim transcript into relevant question and answer pairs, then cleaning those pairs for colloquialisms and repetition interruptions. This process typically strips out about half of the text in the verbatim transcript, making it more digestible.
The Benefits of Using Junior - Workflow Tools for Consultants
Junior allows users to create a clean transcript of a call and then convert it into a call summary. The tool has two components: a stats box that extracts every numerical data point referenced in the call and stores it in one place for review after the call, and a set of key takeaways that are AI-generated summaries of the key points of the call. The tool leverages information from the beginning of a project, such as a scope document or interview guide, to help guide the summary. The tool also offers workflow tools specifically designed for the consulting industry to help get to the slide output faster. One of the main features is Ctrl. F. This feature helps users find relevant quotes and questions related to the topic, such as contract structure, pricing, implementation, and renewal processes. This feature is particularly useful for human consultants who may struggle to trace quotes due to sanitization or paraphrasing issues. An AI native spreadsheet table automates data input for questions that need to be tracked systematically across research or used in market models. It allows users to set up questions and track transcripts, with the source information attached for verification. The data is exportable into Excel for further analysis. Junior also has a chatbot that handles transcripts for consulting and investment research use cases. It produces structured answers with evidence attached to each argument, providing a comprehensive data access and customization tool. 
Pricing and Signup for Junior
The presentation also touches on the pricing and signup process for clients, including six of the top 10 consulting firms, boutiques, and private equity funds. The pricing is $100 per transcript, which typically gets billed back to the client as part of the research expenditure along with the extra networks used to source calls. Overall, the presentation emphasizes the importance of auditability and traceability when using Gen AI tools in procurement research. Junior saves time on analysis and synthesis for clients who are already paying for interviews on big alpha sites or GLG. The tool is priced at an extra 100 dollars per interview, but it can be refunded back to the client. The signup process involves reaching out to the company, who spin up a new instance for each user due to data security concerns. The platform can be set up within a day of reaching out. 
Timestamps:
01:02 Using AI to automate due diligence process, including transcription and summarization of calls. 

In this episode of Unleashed, Ran Harpaz, founder of Lettuce, discusses the importance of an automated tax and accounting system for businesses and that Lettuce is entirely focused on independent consultants. Independent consultants who make over $100,000 per year often overpay their taxes by $10,000 or more. Lettuce is a FinTech software company that helps these professionals incorporate their business into the right S corporation with the IRS, open a business bank account, run bookkeeping, run accounting, predict and file taxes, all done automatically through software. The company offers two levels: Pro (300 dollars a month) and Premium (700 dollars a month). The service includes accounting, bookkeeping, tax preparation, and tax preparation. 
Tax Strategies for the Independent Consultants 
Ran explains how many independent consultants are often double taxed as sole proprietors due to the IRS's coordination on annual tax returns. He offers an example to demonstrate how this works. Ran also discusses the concept of an S Corp and its implications for tax calculations. 
He mentions that Lettuce exists as a software solution that does this daily on every dollar, as income fluctuates throughout the year. This automated solution monitors every payment, calculates and withholds the right amount automatically, and keeps the balance to the IRS constantly close to zero. The S Corp also offers more advanced tax strategies, such as retirement matching, qualified business income deductions, and better healthcare premium payments. Once an S Corp is established, it can unlock all the tax strategies typically available to corporations. The tax system and everything around it are well optimized for corporations, and larger organizations have a finance department, FEMA, and tax experts. While the savings on Social Security and Medicare may be capped, other benefits like retirement and healthcare premium payments open up once an S Corp is established.
Using Retirement Plans as a Tax Strategy
Ran discusses the advantages of using retirement plans as a tax strategy for individuals, particularly those with limited liability companies (LLCs). They mention that having an SEP IRA or a defined benefit plan can provide tax-free income, but it also comes with higher limits. The speaker emphasizes that this becomes a multivariable optimization problem, as individuals may want to save more through retirement, allocate more to Social Security, optimize for salary distribution, maximize expenses, and consider factors like business use of home and mileage.
He suggests that these tax strategies should be solved by software products rather than human efforts. He explains that Lettuce is a replacement for QuickBooks accounting bookkeeping packages. Instead of having multiple software solutions, Lettuce provides a single solution that includes incorporating LLCs, making S corp elections, running books, opening a dedicated bank account, and managing payroll processing.
How Lettuce Offers Tax Accounting Solutions 
Ran also mentions that Lettuce can handle payroll for individuals who hire employees. They focus on serving businesses of one owner, as they are the essence of the business. The free business bank account is provided by TransPecos Bank, a Texas bank, FDIC insured, and provides the infrastructure for keeping money safe.The company is offering accounting and bookkeeping software that helps with automating quarterly taxes, which are a requirement for people. The software handles complex tasks such as forecasting, withholding the right amount, filing, and payment. It also handles complex transactions like multiple jurisdictions or income from Canada. The company has partnered with a CPA company to serve their specific market segment, offering additional services when needed. This includes offshore investments and rollovers from past investments. The company is also working on rolling out an AI accountant to answer customers' questions 24/7. Th

Salah Zalatimo, former Chief Digital Officer at Forbes, discusses the history of magazines and digital transformation. Magazines have been around for a while, with many well-known brands being founded around 100 years ago. Technological innovations have enabled new businesses to launch, such as the Direct to Consumer (DTC) boom and the cheaper printing costs around the turn of the last century.
A Short History of the Magazine Industry
Salah talks about the background of Forbes, which was launched around the Great Depression, and goes on to why the magazine industry was much like VC Investing  today, and how it changed with the advent of the internet. The tension between maintaining journalistic integrity and separation was a challenge. However, the internet revolutionized the way magazines operated, leading to many magazines going out of business in the past 20 years.
Integration with the Digital Media Space
Salah started his career in 2001, drawn to the digital media space after experiencing the first broadband connection and discovering Napster and music. When he arrived at Forbes, he found it to be one of the few companies that successfully adapted to these new business models. Forbes had more traffic and audience than any other magazine and competed with some of the largest information and news websites in the world. He joined Forbes in 2016 and discovered that their adaptation to the new business model was kind of outside their capabilities. Forbes adopted a new business model in 2016 when they acquired True Slant, a platform that allowed writers to write articles and receive a revenue share on the content. This aligned the incentives of all stakeholders in the content creation process, with writers and publishers trying to generate more revenue and being paid based on the success of the content. Forbes adapted this business model to their own newsroom, increasing their content production and SEO significantly.
How Forbes Maintained Zero Liability
The Google algorithm, which was maturing at the time, was a link-sharing system, making it difficult to lose a lead in SEO. Forbes was one of the first companies to dramatically increase their content production and SEO, leaving everyone behind. This led to a virtuous cycle where writers had their own social media accounts and audiences, which added to putting Forbes ahead of the curve in terms of adaptation. However, content production still operated as a newsroom, and digital transformation was needed to adapt the business model. Salah explains why tension arose between traditional journalists and freelance journalists and how Forbes maintained zero liability for user-generated content..
Problems Facing The Digital Media Business Model
The digital media business model is facing a number of problems, including misaligned incentives and the need for a more efficient business model. Digital advertising is the primary way to monetize the media today, and traditional newsrooms focus on journalistic excellence and fact-checking. Salah explains how Forbes addressed this issue which incentivized writers to optimize their content for new distribution channels like Google and Facebook. This led to a dramatic change in the way Forbes worked and enabled them to grow.
Challenges Managing Freelance Writers
The newsroom faced challenges in managing freelance writers and managing quotas, which created stress. As a technologist, it was clear to Salah that many of these tasks could be simplified, automated, and made more consistent and flexible. To improve processes and outcomes, the company looked at the publishing platform as an opportunity. WordPress, the most widely used platform, is meant for smaller publications, and it couldn’t handle the volume of Forbes. By aligning incentives and improving processes, Forbes was able to grow and thrive in a time when other digital media companies were either losing money or going sideways.
How Forbes’ Platform Was Improved
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