The DooDoo Diva's Smells Like Money Podcast

Suzan Marie Chin-Taylor
  • 5.0 (2)
  • How To
  • Updated Weekly

Bringing You Industry Know-How from Industry Pros Who Know How.

  1. 1d ago

    S19 E01: Why Good Employees Leave (and What Leaders Miss) with Karen Valencic

    Why do talented professionals leave strong organizations, even when compensation, hours, and benefits are competitive? In this episode of the Smells Like Money Podcast, host Suzan Chin Taylor welcomes back Karen Valencic, founder of Spiral Impact, to explore the core reasons behind employee turnover. Karen reveals that retention rarely hinges on the workload itself. Instead, it comes down to the relationship employees have with their direct supervisors and whether they feel truly visible, valued, and empowered. Drawing from real life case studies across multiple industries, she shares how leaders can eliminate micromanagement, resolve unspoken team conflict by focusing on a shared vision, and intentionally shape culture using actionable team credos. Key Discussion Points:- Employees Leave Managers, Not Jobs: Workers depart when they feel dismissed, micromanaged, or unacknowledged by their immediate supervisor. - Outcome Driven Empowerment: Telling skilled workers step by step how to do their jobs drains morale; effective leaders define the end goal, invite input, and grant full autonomy to execute. - Look to the Top of the Hill: Solving conflict solely at the level of the problem magnifies friction. Aligning everyone toward the shared summit makes forward progress seamless. - Physical Alignment Shapes Mindset: Seating colleagues across from each other heightens tension, while positioning them to look in the same direction builds collaborative focus. - Pruning Toxic Culture: Culture naturally defaults to the strongest personality unless leaders are deliberate about cultivating the environment. - The Power of a Team Credo: Establishing concise yes or no questions sets clear behavioral standards and mutual accountability. - The Spiral Impact Framework: Sustainable leadership rests on rotational inquiry, a centered presence, and purposeful direction. Notable Quotes:"When you try to solve a problem at the level of the problem, you only make the problem bigger." "Culture will be the strongest personality, bad or good, unless you have been really deliberate."Connect with Karen Valencic:Website: http://www.spiralimpact.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenvalencic/Email: karen@karenvalencic.comI hope you find this episode as informative and as exciting as we have.Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!Connect with Suzan Chin-Taylor, host of The DooDoo Diva's Smells Like Money Podcast:Website: www.creativeraven.com | https://thetuitgroup.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/creativeraven/Email: raven@creativeraven.com Telephone: +1 760-217-8010Listen and subscribe here to your favorite platform:Apple Podcast - Google Podcast - Cast Box - Overcast - Pocket Casts - YouTube - Spotifyhttps://creativeraven.com/smells-like-money-podcast/ Subscribe to the Podcast:https://creativeraven.com/smells-like-money-podcast/Be a guest on our show:https://calendly.com/thetuitgroup/be-a-podcast-guestCheck Out my NEW Digital Marketing E-Course & Coaching Program just for Wastewater Pros:https://store.thetuitgroup.com/diy-digital-marketing-playbook-for-wastewater-pros#Leadership #EmployeeRetention #WorkplaceCulture #TeamBuilding #Management #EmployeeEngagement #SpiralImpact #LeadershipDevelopment #ConflictResolution #SmellsLikeMoney

    S19 E01: Why Good Employees Leave (and What Leaders Miss) with Karen Valencic

  2. Aug 12

    S18 E13: The Science of Influence and Conflict with Karen Valencic

    Welcome to another episode of the Smells Like Money Podcast! In this episode, host Suzan Chin-Taylor speaks with Karen Valencic, the founder of Spiral Impact, engineer, and martial artist. Karen combines her unique background in engineering and Aikido to break down the science of influence and reveal how leaders can turn destructive conflict into productive innovation.Discover why traditional forceful communication backfires, how shifting from statements to questions opens up genuine dialogue, and why mastering conflict is critical for organizational growth, retention, and a healthy workplace culture.Key Takeaways:* The Physics of Influence: Force relies on straight line, hammering statements that trigger defensiveness, while true power is rotational. Asking thoughtful questions instead of making authoritative demands invites open dialogue and breaks down resistance.* Understanding Conflict Mindsets: People generally view conflict through five lenses: attempting to resolve or manage it, avoiding it, actively creating it, pretending it does not exist, or mastering it.* Mastering Conflict vs Avoiding It: Conflict is a necessary component of innovation. Mastering it gives you the tools to re-engage, learn, and guide discussions toward constructive outcomes.* Avoid the Hammer Approach: Repeatedly telling team members what to do causes them to shut down. Small shifts in phrasing that ask for input help soften internal resistance.* Preventing Disengagement: Leaders must go beyond brief, transactional check-ins to understand employee goals, maintain open communication, and recognize early signs of emotional withdrawal.Connect with Karen Valencic: Website: http://www.spiralimpact.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenvalencic/Email: karen@karenvalencic.comI hope you find this episode as informative and as exciting as we have.Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!Connect with Suzan Chin-Taylor, host of The DooDoo Diva's Smells Like Money Podcast:Website: www.creativeraven.com | https://thetuitgroup.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/creativeraven/Email: raven@creativeraven.com Telephone: +1 760-217-8010Listen and subscribe here to your favorite platform:Apple Podcast - Google Podcast - Cast Box - Overcast - Pocket Casts - YouTube - Spotifyhttps://creativeraven.com/smells-like-money-podcast/ Subscribe to the Podcast:https://creativeraven.com/smells-like-money-podcast/Be a guest on our show:https://calendly.com/thetuitgroup/be-a-podcast-guestCheck Out my NEW Digital Marketing E-Course & Coaching Program just for Wastewater Pros:https://store.thetuitgroup.com/diy-digital-marketing-playbook-for-wastewater-pros#SmellsLikeMoneyPodcast #SpiralImpact #Leadership #ConflictResolution #ScienceOfInfluence #WorkplaceCulture #Management #LeadershipDevelopment #WastewaterIndustry

    S18 E13: The Science of Influence and Conflict with Karen Valencic

  3. Aug 5

    S18 E12: Part 3: Re-use or Run Out with John "Grizz" Deal

    In this final installment of our multi-part series, host Suzan Chin-Taylor welcomes back John "Grizz" Deal, CEO of IX Water, to discuss the future of industrial water reuse. As AI data centers and manufacturing place unprecedented demands on local water resources, facilities face a critical choice: adapt or risk running out.Grizz explains why traditional, over-engineered treatment models fail modern plants and highlights how targeted, fit-for-use treatment can cut capital expenditure while securing long-term operational resilience.Key Topics Covered:- The Water-Constrained Economy: How industrial growth and energy-intensive AI data centers are accelerating freshwater demand.- Fit-for-Use Treatment: Why treating recycled water strictly to its intended purpose (like cooling or dust suppression) yields massive savings.- Rethinking Wastewater: Shifting from generic multi-stage setups to targeted contaminant removal.- The Closed-Loop Business Case: Viewing industrial wastewater as a recoverable, cost-saving asset rather than trash.Connect with John "Grizz" Deal:CEO ~ IX WaterContact: grizz@ixpower.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/coloradogrizzWebsite: ixwater.comI hope you find this episode as informative and as exciting as we have.Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!Connect with Suzan Chin-Taylor, host of The DooDoo Diva's Smells Like Money Podcast:Website: www.creativeraven.com | https://thetuitgroup.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/creativeraven/Email: raven@creativeraven.com Telephone: +1 760-217-8010Listen and subscribe here to your favorite platform:Apple Podcast - Google Podcast - Cast Box - Overcast - Pocket Casts - YouTube - Spotifyhttps://creativeraven.com/smells-like-money-podcast/ Subscribe to the Podcast:https://creativeraven.com/smells-like-money-podcast/Be a guest on our show:https://calendly.com/thetuitgroup/be-a-podcast-guestCheck Out my NEW Digital Marketing E-Course & Coaching Program just for Wastewater Pros:https://store.thetuitgroup.com/diy-digital-marketing-playbook-for-wastewater-pros#WaterReuse #WastewaterTreatment #IndustrialSustainability #WaterSecurity #FitForUse #CleanTech #CircularEconomy #DataCenterSustainability #WaterScarcity #SmellsLikeMoneyPodcast

    S18 E12: Part 3: Re-use or Run Out with John "Grizz" Deal

  4. Jul 29

    S18 E11: Part 2: Trap It or Trash It with John "Grizz" Deal

    In this episode of the Smells Like Money podcast, host Suzan Chin Taylor sits down with John "Grizz" Deal, CEO of IX Water, to discuss the growing crisis surrounding PFAS forever chemicals and produced water. They explore the regulatory landscape, the economic incentives needed to shift industry behavior, and the practical, scalable technologies required to protect our water supply before scarcity drives costs to extreme levels. Key Discussion Points:- The PFAS Dilemma: Trap and Destroy:The regulations for PFAS forever chemicals are emerging at the local community level before flowing up to federal agencies. Rather than trying to break down these incredibly strong chemical bonds at every individual water source, a more viable approach involves trapping the compounds locally. Using a highly affordable proprietary media to concentrate the contaminants allows the concentrated waste to be transported to a centralized destruction facility. This localized trapping combined with centralized destruction keeps capital infrastructure costs low while safely neutralizing the danger.- Rethinking the Produced Water Crisis:Oil and gas extraction brings up massive volumes of formation water, commonly known as produced water. Traditional disposal wells are reaching capacity, causing increased back pressure and even geological shifting in some regions. While political and educational hurdles have slowed progress, treating this water for beneficial reuse in agriculture or hydraulic fracturing is essential to preserving fresh water supplies, particularly in drought prone areas like the American Southwest.- Economics Drive Industry Adaptation:Infrastructure changes slowly, but economic incentives are the fastest way to alter industrial behavior. Companies are far more likely to adopt recycling technologies when presented with substantial operational savings. IX Water addresses this by bypassing traditional sales approaches and using engineers to deploy scalable systems that significantly lower the total cost of water treatment.Connect with John "Grizz" Deal:CEO ~ IX WaterContact: grizz@ixpower.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/coloradogrizzWebsite: ixwater.comI hope you find this episode as informative and as exciting as we have.Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!Connect with Suzan Chin-Taylor, host of The DooDoo Diva's Smells Like Money Podcast:Website: www.creativeraven.com | https://thetuitgroup.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/creativeraven/Email: raven@creativeraven.com Telephone: +1 760-217-8010Listen and subscribe here to your favorite platform:Apple Podcast - Google Podcast - Cast Box - Overcast - Pocket Casts - YouTube - Spotifyhttps://creativeraven.com/smells-like-money-podcast/ Subscribe to the Podcast:https://creativeraven.com/smells-like-money-podcast/Be a guest on our show:https://calendly.com/thetuitgroup/be-a-podcast-guestCheck Out my NEW Digital Marketing E-Course & Coaching Program just for Wastewater Pros:https://store.thetuitgroup.com/diy-digital-marketing-playbook-for-wastewater-pros#WastewaterTreatment #PFAS #ProducedWater #WaterSustainability #EcoTech #IndustrialWastewater #EnvironmentalRegulation #WaterReuse #GreenInnovation #SmellsLikeMoneyPodcast

    S18 E11: Part 2: Trap It or Trash It with John "Grizz" Deal

  5. Jul 22

    S18 E10: Part 1: Pretreat or Pay with John "Grizz" Deal

    In this episode of the Smells Like Money Podcast, host Suzan Chin Taylor sits down with John “Grizz” Deal, the CEO of IX Water, to kick off a brand new series focused on the complexities of industrial wastewater.The conversation centers on a critical decision that industrial facilities face every day: pre-treating their wastewater onsite or paying hefty fees and fines to dump it into municipal systems. Together, they explore the hidden dangers of clear wastewater, the biological disruptions caused at municipal plants, and the immense financial and environmental benefits of recycling industrial process water.Key Takeaways From This Episode:* The Illusion of Clear Wastewater: Industrial discharge can look perfectly clean but still contain deadly, silent contaminants like Chromium 6, solvents, heavy metals, arsenic, and cyanide.* Disruption of Municipal Systems: Municipal wastewater plants rely on predictable biological processes. When exotic industrial contaminants slip under the radar undetected by standard municipal testing, they can completely destabilize a plant’s biology.* Hidden Fees vs. Hidden Toxins: Facilities often pay extra surcharges to municipalities for exceeding Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) or total suspended solids. However, this payment structure completely ignores the dangerous chemical components that remain untreated.* Resource Mismanagement: Utilizing fresh, drinkable water for industrial processes like cooling towers is an expensive waste of resources. Non-sewage wastewater from machinery, mining operations, and oil production can be successfully recycled instead.* The Financial Math: Transporting and disposing of hazardous waste can cost plant owners five to six dollars per gallon. Implementing modern pretreatment systems allows companies to reclaim that water for pennies per gallon, transforming a major liability into a valuable asset.Connect With Our Guest: John "Grizz" Deal* Email: grizz@ixpower.com* LinkedIn: [linkedin.com/in/coloradogrizz]* Website: ixwater.comI hope you find this episode as informative and as exciting as we have.Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!Connect with Suzan Chin-Taylor, host of The DooDoo Diva's Smells Like Money Podcast:Website: www.creativeraven.com | https://thetuitgroup.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/creativeraven/Email: raven@creativeraven.com Telephone: +1 760-217-8010Listen and subscribe here to your favorite platform:Apple Podcast - Google Podcast - Cast Box - Overcast - Pocket Casts - YouTube - Spotifyhttps://creativeraven.com/smells-like-money-podcast/ Subscribe to the Podcast:https://creativeraven.com/smells-like-money-podcast/Be a guest on our show:https://calendly.com/thetuitgroup/be-a-podcast-guestCheck Out my NEW Digital Marketing E-Course & Coaching Program just for Wastewater Pros:https://store.thetuitgroup.com/diy-digital-marketing-playbook-for-wastewater-pros#IndustrialWastewater #WastewaterTreatment #WaterRecycling #Sustainability #GreenTech #Pretreatment #EcoFriendly #WaterConservation #CircularEconomy #SmellsLikeMoneyPodcast

    S18 E10: Part 1: Pretreat or Pay with John "Grizz" Deal

  6. Jul 15

    S18 E9: Built to Sell: From Daily Grind to Exit by Design with Gregg Schonhorn

    Are you running your business, or is your business running you? In this episode of the Smells Like Money podcast, host Suzan Chin Taylor sits down with Gregg Schonhorn of SF&P Advisors to dive into a topic many contractors and entrepreneurs avoid: exit strategies and succession planning. Gregg shares his journey from Wall Street to executive coaching and Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), bringing massive insights into how business owners can scale their operations for a highly profitable future exit. They unpack the critical internal systems that separate a thriving, sellable business from one that is bleeding revenue, while exploring a major industry pain point: why business owners mistakenly blame their marketing agencies when the real issue lies within their own sales processes and internal operations. Key Takeaways From This Episode:- The Reality of Exiting: Every business owner will eventually exit their company, whether voluntarily or involuntarily. Long range planning and a solid succession strategy are essential for securing your legacy and maximizing your company value.- Stop Blaming the Marketing Agency: When business owners complain that their marketing sucks, the root cause is rarely a lack of leads. It is almost always an internal process problem, such as unmanaged CSR pipelines, high numbers of unsold estimates, or poor lead conversion systems.- The Revenue Hiding in Your CRM: A $5 million company often sits on $600,000 to $800,000 in unsold estimates. Before demanding more leads, businesses need to optimize their call tracking, quality control, average ticket prices, and internal follow up systems.- The 24/7/365 Business Model: If your Google profile or website lists your business hours as Monday through Friday from 9 to 5, you are actively losing emergency revenue. Modern service providers must utilize AI automated answering systems and after hours processes to capture leads the moment they roll in.- Evolving Your Growth Tactics: What gets a business from zero to $1 million in revenue requires a relentless daily hustle, like home shows and physical community outreach. However, scaling from $5 million to $15 million and beyond requires stepping away from the daily grind and focusing heavily on long term branding, community presence, and robust infrastructure.Connect with Gregg Schonhorn:SF&P AdvisorsContact: gregg@sfpadvisors.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sf&p-advisors/ Website: sfpadvisors.comI hope you find this episode as informative and as exciting as we have.Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!Connect with Suzan Chin-Taylor, host of The DooDoo Diva's Smells Like Money Podcast:Website: www.creativeraven.com | https://thetuitgroup.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/creativeraven/Email: raven@creativeraven.com Telephone: +1 760-217-8010Listen and subscribe here to your favorite platform:Apple Podcast - Google Podcast - Cast Box - Overcast - Pocket Casts - YouTube - Spotifyhttps://creativeraven.com/smells-like-money-podcast/ Subscribe to the Podcast:https://creativeraven.com/smells-like-money-podcast/Be a guest on our show:https://calendly.com/thetuitgroup/be-a-podcast-guestCheck Out my NEW Digital Marketing E-Course & Coaching Program just for Wastewater Pros:https://store.thetuitgroup.com/diy-digital-marketing-playbook-for-wastewater-pros#SmellsLikeMoneyPodcast #BuiltToSell #ExitStrategy #SuccessionPlanning #BusinessScaling #MergersAndAcquisitions #WastewaterIndustry #ContractorLife #WWETTShow

    S18 E9: Built to Sell: From Daily Grind to Exit by Design with Gregg Schonhorn

  7. Jul 8

    S18 E8: From Pumps to Profits: Carbon Credits in Wastewater with Ankita Sameer Patwa

    Welcome back to another episode of the Smells Like Money Podcast!In this episode, host Suzan Chin Taylor sits down with Ankita Sameer Patwa, an environmental manager and the founder of The Green Solve. Together, they demystify carbon accounting and carbon credits within the wastewater sector, breaking down how smaller facilities, contractors, and municipalities can turn everyday operational upgrades into valuable revenue streams.If you have ever wondered how your facility can monetize sustainability, this conversation is for you.Key Discussion Points:- Carbon Accounting vs. Carbon Credits: Carbon accounting functions like a financial spreadsheet for tracking emissions, whereas carbon credits act like rewards or coupons generated when a facility actively reduces or avoids releasing greenhouse gases.- Sustainability Is Not Just for Corporate Giants: It is a myth that sustainability initiatives belong only to mega corporations. Small to mid sized wastewater plants can significantly improve their operational efficiency and earn financial returns.- High Impact Upgrades: Improving pumps, utilizing variable frequency drives (VFDs), installing solar power, and implementing waste to energy systems provide excellent returns. Because methane is 28 times more harmful than carbon dioxide, capturing or diverting methane yields the highest impact and highest priced carbon credits.- Data Is King: The primary reason carbon credit projects fail is a lack of organized data. Facilities must track their baseline emissions and closely monitor data over a nine to fifteen month timeline to successfully clear third party audits.Connect with Ankita Sameer Patwa:Founder of The Green SolveContact: +918329173841 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ankita-patwa/ Website: thegreensolve.com I hope you find this episode as informative and as exciting as we have.Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!Connect with Suzan Chin-Taylor, host of The DooDoo Diva's Smells Like Money Podcast:Website: www.creativeraven.com | https://thetuitgroup.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/creativeraven/Email: raven@creativeraven.com Telephone: +1 760-217-8010Listen and subscribe here to your favorite platform:Apple Podcast - Google Podcast - Cast Box - Overcast - Pocket Casts - YouTube - Spotifyhttps://creativeraven.com/smells-like-money-podcast/ Subscribe to the Podcast:https://creativeraven.com/smells-like-money-podcast/Be a guest on our show:https://calendly.com/thetuitgroup/be-a-podcast-guestCheck Out my NEW Digital Marketing E-Course & Coaching Program just for Wastewater Pros:https://store.thetuitgroup.com/diy-digital-marketing-playbook-for-wastewater-pros#PumpsToProfits #Wastewater #CarbonCredits #Sustainability #CarbonAccounting #GreenSolve #EcoEngineering #RenewableEnergy

    S18 E8: From Pumps to Profits: Carbon Credits in Wastewater with Ankita Sameer Patwa

  8. Jul 1

    S18 E7: Wastewater’s New Brain: Where AI turns waste into value with Jaymes Lee

    How is artificial intelligence reshaping the future of environmental sustainability? In this episode of the Smells Like Money Podcast, host Suzan Chin-Taylor sits down with Jaymes Lee, the President and Founder of Knock Out Treatment LLC, to explore the cutting-edge digital transformation taking place in the wastewater industry.Jaymes shares his fascinating journey from researching college algae-based sustainable loops to building a startup focused on advanced technology integration. Together, they dive into how machine learning is optimizing chemical dosing to unprecedented levels of precision, solving the labor shortage caused by the "silver tsunami," and introducing highly efficient, cost-competitive nano net polymers.You will also learn about the massive potential of co-locating data centers next to anaerobic digesters for mutual heating and cooling benefits, as well as a groundbreaking, patented method utilizing a rare mineral earth catalyst to destroy PFAS via high-temperature pyrolysis.The wastewater industry is shifting from reactive firefighting to proactive, automated resource management. Tune in to discover how treating wastewater as a resource is securing long-term business survival and environmental stewardship.Key Timestamps and Discussion Points* The AI Dosing Advantage: Discover how machine learning optimizes chemical usage with a precision human operators cannot match.* Solving the Silver Tsunami: Learn how technology transitions physical workloads into digital supervisory roles to combat a shrinking labor force.* Data Center Partnerships: Explore the incredible opportunity to co-locate data centers with anaerobic digesters to share heat energy and water resources.* Sustainable Polymers: A look at new nano net polymers that cut traditional polyacrylamide use in half.* Patented PFAS Destruction: Understanding the new method that uses biology and rare mineral earth catalysts for high-temperature pyrolysis.* The Transition to Digital Responsibility: How "Talk AI" provides 24/7 monitoring so human expertise can focus on proactive maintenance.Connect with Guest Jaymes LeeCompany: Knock Out Treatment LLCEmail: jl@knockouttreat.comLinkedIn: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaymes-lee/]Website: knockouttreat.comI hope you find this episode as informative and as exciting as we have.Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!Connect with Suzan Chin-Taylor, host of The DooDoo Diva's Smells Like Money Podcast:Website: www.creativeraven.com | https://thetuitgroup.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/creativeraven/Email: raven@creativeraven.com Telephone: +1 760-217-8010Listen and subscribe here to your favorite platform:Apple Podcast - Google Podcast - Cast Box - Overcast - Pocket Casts - YouTube - Spotifyhttps://creativeraven.com/smells-like-money-podcast/ Subscribe to the Podcast:https://creativeraven.com/smells-like-money-podcast/Be a guest on our show:https://calendly.com/thetuitgroup/be-a-podcast-guestCheck Out my NEW Digital Marketing E-Course & Coaching Program just for Wastewater Pros:https://store.thetuitgroup.com/diy-digital-marketing-playbook-for-wastewater-pros#WastewaterTechnology #ArtificialIntelligence #Sustainability #CircularEconomy #PFASDestruction #Biogas #DataCenters #MachineLearning #ResourceRecovery #Innovation

    S18 E7: Wastewater’s New Brain: Where AI turns waste into value with Jaymes Lee
See All (236)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Bringing You Industry Know-How from Industry Pros Who Know How.

Information