Disruptive Influence: The Business Storytelling & Brand Communication Podcast

Jeff Abracen
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Marketing

If you know what you do but struggle to talk about it in a way that lands - this podcast is for you. Most founders, creators, and leaders have the expertise…but not the story, clarity, or communication skills to express it with confidence, conviction, and influence. Disruptive Influence is the storytelling, communication, and executive presence podcast for founders, solopreneurs, and LinkedIn-era leaders who want to communicate with more clarity and power - in meetings, in pitches, in content, and in everyday conversations. Learn how to: turn lived experience into clear, compelling storiescommunicate with clarity, confidence, and executive presencebuild a strong POV that attracts the right peoplesell your ideas, your value, and your vision with convictionunlock the mindset shifts behind real influence and high-performance communication Hosted by Jeff Abracen - executive storytelling coach, former agency VP, Creative Director, and creator of the Disruptive Influence™ system - each episode reveals how exceptional thinkers shape narratives, build presence, and communicate in ways that create opportunity. Through a mix of solo tactical episodes and deep conversations with founders and creators who are disrupting and influencing their industries in their own way, you’ll learn how real leaders think, speak, and tell stories that move people. If you're building a company, growing a personal brand on LinkedIn, leading a team, or simply want to communicate with more confidence and conviction - this podcast gives you the tools and perspective shifts to become the most influential person in the room. ➞ Subscribe and learn how to tell stories that sell - and speak with clarity, confidence, and conviction.  ➞ Connect with Jeff Abracen on LinkedIn to continue the conversation.

  1. 23h ago

    Why AI Is Making YOU More Valuable with Jodie Cook

    Jodie Cook believes there are no unique messages - only unique messengers. And in a time when AI can create almost anything, who you are might matter more than ever. Jodie is the founder of Coachvox, a Forbes contributor, exited agency founder, author and competitive powerlifter for Great Britain. She talks with Jeff about using AI to create more freedom - not more work - the three moats every expert needs to build, why your personal brand should do the selling before you enter the room, and why the best opportunities rarely come from applying for them. We also get into Jodie’s shift from pure discipline to intuition, her “energy audit” for designing work around what lights you up, building genuine relationships without asking for anything, and why she believes founders should stop consuming so much information and start creating. In this episode:  Why AI should help us become more human  The difference between information and influence  Why there are no unique messages - only unique messengers  Personal brand, community and distribution as your competitive moat  How to test a business idea before building it  Jodie’s “low-information diet”  Why desperation kills creativity  The energy audit: finding your +3 and eliminating your -3  Building relationships without transactional networking  Why the best opportunities don't come from applications  What competitive sport taught Jodie about business  Why you should build your personal brand for the lurkers, not the likes Chapters 00:00 There Are No Unique Messages 01:27 Why AI Should Make Us More Human 03:06 Big Leverage & Building a Lighthouse 06:37 Reps, Discipline & Becoming Yourself 09:15 From Pure Logic to Trusting the Feeling 12:32 Forbes, Founders & Going From Skeptical to Spiritual 15:56 Jodie’s Biggest Business Bounce 20:22 Success, Freedom & Autonomy 21:26 Let AI Build Trust Before the Sales Call 24:32 Stop Consuming. Start Creating. 26:54 There Are No Unique Messages, Only Unique Messengers 28:43 The Three Moats: Brand, Community & Distribution 30:51 How to Know What to Build Next 34:18 Purpose, Energy & Doing What Lights You Up 37:56 The +3/-3 Energy Audit 41:29 Relationships, Networks & The Friend Zone 49:06 Value Per Minute 52:33 Jodie’s Most Disruptive Move 55:02 Build Your Brand for the Lurkers 56:09 What’s Next for Coachvox Connect with Jeff Abracen on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffabracen/] If you are or know a disruptive influencer who would make a great guest, we'd love to hear from you.  Every Like, Share, Subscription and Review means a lot. Cover art by Daniel Devoy Music by Stephen Voyce ©2024-2026 The Disruptive Influence Podcast - Jeff Abracen

  2. Aug 12

    Creativity Isn’t Efficient (and That’s the Point) with Joel Holtby

    Joel Holtby believes creativity should be the most exciting part of any business — not something optimized into submission. As Founder & Global Co-CCO of Courage, one of Canada’s most awarded creative agencies, Joel has helped build work for brands including KFC, KitKat, CIBC, Nescafé and more. In this conversation, Joel & Jeff get into why creativity and efficiency often sit at opposite ends of the spectrum, why people don’t actually hate advertising, how Courage finds human truths that travel beyond borders, and why craft still matters in an AI-powered world. We also talk about the agency’s philosophy of courage, turning down the wrong clients, the story behind KitKat’s security convoy, Joel’s experience creating IKEA’s Lamp 2, working with people like Seth Rogen and Connor McDavid, and why AI should remain a tool - not become the creative. In this episode:  Why creativity is a powerful business driver  The difference between courage and risk  Why efficiency can work against creativity  How simple ideas become memorable through craft  Why people don't hate ads - they hate bad ones  Creating work that enters culture instead of interrupting it  How Courage chooses clients  Why brand DNA can be a creative “cheat code”  The enduring power of human insight  Joel's concern with using AI to replace creative problem-solving  Why the next generation of creatives should become sponges, not trend-chasers Chapters00:00 — People Don't Hate Advertising. They Hate Bad Ads. 00:35 — Meet Joel Holtby & Courage 01:43 — Creativity as a Business Driver 04:02 — Finding the Feeling of a Great Idea 06:05 — Awards, Ego & Finding Joy in the Work 09:25 — Building Courageous Brands 11:02 — Courage's First Big Creative Bet 14:52 — The Secret Sauce of Storytelling 17:50 — Why Creativity Isn't Efficient 20:22 — What Makes Advertising Memorable 23:07 — People Don't Hate Ads - They Hate Bad Ads 25:14 — The KitKat Security Convoy 27:40 — Courage as a Client Filter 30:12 — Rich and Miserable vs. Great Work 32:21 — The Ad That Changed Joel's Creative Philosophy 36:13 — IKEA's Lamp & The Art of the Rug Pull 38:15 — The Pressure of Creating Lamp 2 40:01 — Finding the DNA of a Brand 42:57 — Seth Rogen, Connor McDavid & Celebrity 46:01 — AI vs. Lived Human Experience 49:39 — Advice for the Next Generation of Creatives Connect with Jeff Abracen on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffabracen/] If you are or know a disruptive influencer who would make a great guest, we'd love to hear from you.  Every Like, Share, Subscription and Review means a lot. Cover art by Daniel Devoy Music by Stephen Voyce ©2024-2026 The Disruptive Influence Podcast - Jeff Abracen

  3. Aug 5

    Don’t Be Better. Be Impossible to Compare: Category Design with Josh Lowman

    What if the secret to building a better business isn’t being slightly better than everyone else - but becoming impossible to compare? Josh Lowman is the founder of Gold Front, a category design studio that helps companies create, define and own their categories. In this conversation, Josh explains why differentiation usually gets ignored, how category strategy can align an entire company and why founders need a simpler place in their minds from which to tell their story. But this episode goes beyond strategy. Josh and Jeff explore the tension between love and money, why wanting financial success doesn’t invalidate meaningful work, what it means to build a personal brand publicly and how Josh is navigating doubt during difficult seasons in his business. They also unpack the rapidly changing relationship between creativity and AI - from Josh’s experiments building an AI-powered operating system for his agency to the increasingly important role of human judgment, emotion and craft. In this episode: • Why being slightly different usually isn’t enough • The two ways a business can own its category • How category strategy aligns founders, marketers and product teams • Why great work alone doesn’t guarantee a great business • Reconciling creativity, purpose, ambition and money • Building a personal brand without treating LinkedIn like a money machine • Sharing uncertainty instead of pretending to have every answer • How Josh built AI agents around Gold Front’s strategy frameworks • The danger of overbuilding with AI • Why processed creativity quickly loses its value • What humans may still contribute that AI cannot • How to find work you genuinely want to do - and frame it differently Chapters 00:00 – We’re All Greedy 00:44 – What Makes a Good Business? 03:13 – The Two Ways to Own Your Category 05:51 – From World-Class Agencies to Gold Front 08:10 – Why Great Work Wasn’t Enough 10:34 – Category Strategy as a Company-Wide Idea 14:19 – How Ready Must a Company Be to Change? 15:19 – Storytelling, Underdogs and Josh’s Deeper Motivation 17:43 – Reconciling Love, Money and Ambition 23:09 – Learning to Actually Sell 24:16 – Becoming Josh Lowman in Public 26:14 – The Complicated Relationship with Content 28:09 – Sharing Doubt When Business Is Down 31:29 – Building an AI-Powered Agency OS 36:11 – The Danger of Overbuilding with AI 37:55 – Turning Expertise into Helpful AI Agents 39:42 – The Builder’s Brain vs. the Storytelling Brain 43:58 – Why AI Creativity Feels Processed 46:55 – Finding the Human Advantage 51:03 – Josh’s Best Advice for Building a Brand 53:06 – The Lifelong Desire to Tell Stories Josh Lowman is the founder of Gold Front. Find him at GoldFront.com and on LinkedIn. Connect with Jeff Abracen on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffabracen/] If you are or know a disruptive influencer who would make a great guest, we'd love to hear from you.  Every Like, Share, Subscription and Review means a lot. Cover art by Daniel Devoy Music by Stephen Voyce ©2024-2026 The Disruptive Influence Podcast - Jeff Abracen

  4. Jul 29

    Selling Without the Ick: The Psychology of Helping People Decide with Alli Rizacos

    What if selling wasn’t about convincing someone to choose you - but helping them confidently make the right decision? In this episode of the Disruptive Influence Podcast, Jeff Abracen speaks with Alli Rizacos about selling with more structure, confidence and humanity - without the pressure, manipulation or ick traditionally associated with sales. Alli explains why buyers need three things before they are ready to act: awareness of the real problem, enough urgency to change and trust that you can help them solve it. They explore why your content might not actually be the problem, how imposter syndrome creates awkward sales conversations and why ethical selling means diagnosing before prescribing - even when that means directing someone away from your offer. Alli also reveals the systems beneath her seemingly casual approach, including personally messaging event registrants, qualifying people before they buy and testing offers in the market before building them. In this episode: • Why selling is really about helping people make decisions • The three conditions buyers need before they act • How to diagnose the real problem beneath the symptoms • Why your content might not be the actual issue • The difference between a “bruise” and a “broken bone” problem • How imposter syndrome makes sales conversations uncomfortable • Why personal attention can outperform automation • How systems make sales more repeatable and predictable • Why you should sell and test an offer before fully building it • How to use the language your buyers are already using • Why new entrepreneurs should begin with a market need - not only their passion Chapters 00:00 – Stop overcomplicating the sales conversation 00:47 – What does good selling look like in 2026? 03:10 – Stop selling and start helping people decide 10:27 – The three things every buyer needs before acting 16:00 – Diagnose before you prescribe 22:10 – Ethical selling, commitment and client results 28:26 – Success, pressure and moving the goalposts 30:16 – Why your energy and capacity affect your business 35:19 – Building repeatable and predictable sales systems 37:32 – The personal DM strategy most people overlook 42:17 – How imposter syndrome creates awkward selling 47:13 – Testing your offer in the real market 51:45 – Using the language your buyers actually use 57:12 – Solve the market problem before chasing your passion About Alli Rizacos Alli Rizacos is a sales coach and former corporate sales leader who helps coaches, consultants and service-based entrepreneurs create structured, repeatable sales systems without losing their personality. Drawing on her experience in enterprise sales and her fascination with buyer psychology, Alli teaches entrepreneurs how to clarify their market, strengthen their offers, start better conversations and help buyers make confident decisions—without manipulative tactics or performative sales personas. About the Disruptive Influence Podcast Hosted by Jeff Abracen, Communication Coach & Advisor, and former agency Vice President, Creative Director, The Disruptive Influence Podcast explores how founders, leaders and creative thinkers use communication, storytelling and unconventional ideas to earn attention, build trust and inspire action. Connect with Jeff Abracen on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffabracen/] If you are or know a disruptive influencer who would make a great guest, we'd love to hear from you.  Every Like, Share, Subscription and Review means a lot. Cover art by Daniel Devoy Music by Stephen Voyce ©2024-2026 The Disruptive Influence Podcast - Jeff Abracen

  5. Jul 22

    The Art & Science of Building a Freedom-Based Business with Jacob Pegs

    Build the Business. Keep the Life. What if the goal wasn’t to build the biggest business possible - but to intentionally design one that gives you enough? In this episode of the Disruptive Influence Podcast, Jeff Abracen speaks with Jacob Pegs, a writer, marketer and architect of freedom-based businesses, about creating a highly leveraged one-person business without sacrificing your health, creativity or family life. Jacob shares how becoming a father forced him to rethink the business he was building. Instead of adding more clients, employees and responsibilities, he began designing around constraints: three working days a week, a defined number of clients and a business model built on one post, one email and one offer a day. The conversation explores why people buy proximity, how content can capture and multiply your energy, and why a smaller audience of the right people can be far more valuable than tens of thousands of passive followers. Jeff and Jacob also unpack the difference between relevance and resonance, why personality is a genuine competitive advantage, and how sharing who you are can matter as much as demonstrating what you know. This episode is for creators, coaches, consultants and entrepreneurs who want to make more impact without automatically creating more work. In this episode: Why freedom must be designed into your businessHow content creates leverage beyond your available hoursThe relationship between proximity, pricing and capacityJacob’s one-post, one-email, one-offer modelHow to start building an audience from zeroWhy your voice, writing and message are the real funnelThe difference between showing your expertise and sharing who you areWhy people buy relevance - and stay because of resonanceHow constraints can protect your creativity, health and familyWhy repelling the wrong people can strengthen your positioningHow to identify the small group of people your business truly needsWhy bigger revenue does not automatically create a better lifeKey ideas: Design before you scale. Set the life, schedule and capacity you want before building a business that overwhelms them. Energy plus assets creates leverage. Content, recordings, workshops and intellectual property can continue working after the original effort is complete. People buy proximity. Different offers can provide different levels of access to your thinking, support and guidance. Your voice is the funnel. Clear ideas, useful demonstrations and consistent communication can create demand without complicated systems. Relevance gets attention. Resonance builds preference. People may initially need your expertise, but your beliefs, experiences and personality help them choose you. You do not need everyone. A sustainable business may require only a small number of deeply aligned customers. Chapters 00:00 – Why you only need the right 80 people 00:48 – Can freedom-based businesses still be built? 02:34 – Escaping the belief that success requires constant grinding 04:28 – Turning your energy into leverage 04:48 – Designing a three-day-a-week business 07:15 – One post, one email and one offer a day 08:40 – Separating your identity from your business 09:49 – How to begin building an audience from zero 13:21 – Showing what you do and sharing who you are 16:54 – What Jacob actually helps people accomplish 18:31 – Applying one model across different industries 21:19 – Personality as a competitive advantage 22:21 – Why people buy who you are 24:44 – Giving people what they want and what they need 27:31 – Staying consistent when the business starts working 28:27 – Seasons, boundaries and choosing not to scale 31:57 – Why your vibe attracts the right buyers 32:36 – Repelling people as a positioning strategy 33:45 – Finding the 80 people your business needs 34:18 – Deletion by design 35:49 – Jacob’s original $125 offer 37:42 – Starting with the person you used to be 39:31 – Choosing alignment over a successful but unwanted business 43:32 – The question that forces you to tell yourself the truth About Jacob Pegs Jacob Pegs is a writer, content marketer and business strategist who helps coaches, consultants and service providers build highly leveraged, marketing-led online businesses. His model is built around simplicity: one post, one email and one offer a day. Rather than chasing unlimited scale, Jacob helps entrepreneurs design businesses around their desired income, capacity, creativity and quality of life. About the Disruptive Influence Podcast Hosted by Jeff Abracen, Communication Advisor & Coach and former agency Vice President, Creative Director, The Disruptive Influence Podcast explores how founders, leaders and creative thinkers use communication, storytelling and unconventional ideas to earn attention, build trust and inspire action. Connect with Jeff Abracen on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffabracen/] If you are or know a disruptive influencer who would make a great guest, we'd love to hear from you.  Every Like, Share, Subscription and Review means a lot. Cover art by Daniel Devoy Music by Stephen Voyce ©2024-2026 The Disruptive Influence Podcast - Jeff Abracen

  6. Mar 28

    Why Most Companies Get Purpose Wrong (And How to Fix It) with Ron Tite

    Agency owner, speaker, and author Ron Tite breaks down why most companies get purpose completely wrong - and how to turn it into a real driver of growth, decision-making, and differentiation. Ron is the author of The Purpose of Purpose and has worked with leading brands to help them align what they believe with how they actually operate and grow. In this episode, Ron explains: -Why most purpose statements are performative (and why people can feel it) -The shift from “sounding good” to actually driving business results -The “We believe → so we do” framework -Why founders need to think beyond the product -How short-term thinking kills long-term brand value -The role of storytelling in uncovering what’s actually true -How leaders can make clearer, more confident decisions This is a grounded, honest look at purpose - not as a buzzword, but as something that should actually guide how a business operates and grows. Chapters 00:00 – Purpose vs reality in business 00:45 – Why Ron wrote The Purpose of Purpose 01:40 – The problem with purpose statements 03:20 – Purpose as a decision-making tool 05:00 – Where purpose went wrong 06:00 – “We believe → so we do” 07:50 – Is purpose manipulative? 10:15 – Art vs commercial creativity 12:30 – The social responsibility trap 13:30 – Founders: beyond the product 16:40 – The danger of short-term thinking 17:30 – Belief over product 19:45 – Leadership in service of others 21:00 – Fixing purpose in established companies 22:30 – Collaboration vs decision-making 24:10 – Finding courage as a leader 25:00 – Using stories to uncover truth 27:40 – Why stories beat data 29:00 – Brands getting it right 29:30 – Savannah Bananas case study 31:40 – Differentiation through experience 33:00 – Final takeaway: it’s all figureoutable Connect with Jeff Abracen on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffabracen/] If you are or know a disruptive influencer who would make a great guest, we'd love to hear from you.  Every Like, Share, Subscription and Review means a lot. Cover art by Daniel Devoy Music by Stephen Voyce ©2024-2026 The Disruptive Influence Podcast - Jeff Abracen

  7. Feb 27

    Why Your Brands Needs to Build Out Loud with Jake Karls

    Jake Karls, Co-Founder & Rainmaker at Mid-Day Squares, joins Jeff Abracen for a fast, fun, and deep conversation on building brands by building out loud. Jake breaks down the origin story behind Mid-Day Squares' “act like a boy band” strategy, why story > features, and how humanization is an unfair advantage in a world obsessed with scale. They also unpack the behind-the-scenes reality of growth: therapy as a non-negotiable founder practice, the emotional swing from “nothing to lose” to “everything to lose,” and how a cocoa price crisis pushed MDS to innovate into a new category with their No Bread PB&J - complete with character-driven storytelling (hello, Trudy & Chip). In this episode, you’ll hear: Why “building out loud” expands your luck + opportunity surface areaHow Mid-Day Squares modeled their brand like the Backstreet Boys / Spice GirlsWhy the best brands sell feelings, not featuresThe real role of attention: getting trial in a 30-40k item grocery storeHow “serendipity” becomes a growth strategy (show up and good things happen)Therapy as a business system for alignment, trust, and conflict preventionThe cocoa crisis, the margins reality, and the innovation leap to No Bread PB&JCreating characters to scale storytelling beyond foundersJake on fear, pressure, loneliness, and shifting back to “play to win”Plus, a live taste test!00:00 The boy band brand model  00:24 Intro  00:41 Montreal energy and Jake’s travel rhythm  02:37 First advice to founders build out loud  04:13 Showing up and serendipity  06:07 Finding Mid-Day Squares DNA and the deal that changed everything  09:27 Story over product features  11:45 Cocoa crisis and category expansion  13:05 Humanization is the advantage  14:25 Innovation as the escape hatch  15:25 The No Bread PBJ origin  18:09 Packaging storytelling and characters  22:11 Product must hit and story gets trial  25:10 Founder lanes and trust  28:37 Therapy communication and avoiding founder conflict  30:04 Fear pressure and playing not to lose  33:06 Stage mode elevated Jake  34:28 The down days and recovery  37:52 What would make younger Jake proud  39:10 Life after Midday inspiring entrepreneurship  42:13 Serendipity story fraternity to investor  43:35 Live taste test outro Connect with Jeff Abracen on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffabracen/] If you are or know a disruptive influencer who would make a great guest, we'd love to hear from you.  Every Like, Share, Subscription and Review means a lot. Cover art by Daniel Devoy Music by Stephen Voyce ©2024-2026 The Disruptive Influence Podcast - Jeff Abracen

  8. Jan 29

    How to Turn Everyday Moments Into Customer Loyalty Machines with David Brier

    Most brands aren’t failing. They’re just fading into the background. In this episode, Jeff sits down with David Brier, one of the sharpest and most unapologetic minds in branding, to talk about why so much marketing today feels polished, competent… and completely forgettable. David calls it the Wall of Beige: what happens when brands optimize for speed, safety, and scale - but quietly lose their nerve, their taste, and their point of view along the way. We get into why “meeting expectations” is actually a trap. Why pumping out more content won’t save you if it costs you differentiation. And why loyalty isn’t built through clever tactics - it’s built through intention. From the ritual of opening an iPhone box, to handwritten notes, to small human moments most brands overlook, this conversation breaks down how everyday interactions - when handled with conviction - become the reason people come back, talk about you, and choose you again. This isn’t a conversation about trends. It’s a conversation about standards. If you’re a founder, executive, or brand leader who’s tired of sounding like everyone else - and wants people to stop saying “that’s nice” and start saying “I want more of that” - this is the episode for you. What we explore Why so many brands blend in (even when they’re doing “everything right”)The difference between convenience and careHow fanatical intention turns moments into loyaltyWhy anticipation beats persuasionWhere authenticity actually comes from - and where it doesn’tChapters 00:00 — Turning Ordinary Into Amazing 00:44 — AI, Speed & the Wall of Beige 04:42 — Why Playing It Safe Is Riskier 06:23 — Freshness, Familiarity & Surprise 10:14 — The iPhone Box Lesson 12:03 — Practitioner vs Professional vs Genius 18:23 — Fanatical Intention 22:39 — Why Meeting Expectations Is a Failure 27:05 — Human Effort Creates Loyalty 30:32 — Apple vs Microsoft: DNA Matters 36:40 — Refusing to Let Ordinary Be Ordinary 41:58 — Curiosity Beats Confusion 44:07 — Why Meaning Beats Marketing 55:17 — The Next 4 Years vs the Next 40 58:44 — “I Want More of That” Connect with Jeff Abracen on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffabracen/] If you are or know a disruptive influencer who would make a great guest, we'd love to hear from you.  Every Like, Share, Subscription and Review means a lot. Cover art by Daniel Devoy Music by Stephen Voyce ©2024-2026 The Disruptive Influence Podcast - Jeff Abracen

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About

If you know what you do but struggle to talk about it in a way that lands - this podcast is for you. Most founders, creators, and leaders have the expertise…but not the story, clarity, or communication skills to express it with confidence, conviction, and influence. Disruptive Influence is the storytelling, communication, and executive presence podcast for founders, solopreneurs, and LinkedIn-era leaders who want to communicate with more clarity and power - in meetings, in pitches, in content, and in everyday conversations. Learn how to: turn lived experience into clear, compelling storiescommunicate with clarity, confidence, and executive presencebuild a strong POV that attracts the right peoplesell your ideas, your value, and your vision with convictionunlock the mindset shifts behind real influence and high-performance communication Hosted by Jeff Abracen - executive storytelling coach, former agency VP, Creative Director, and creator of the Disruptive Influence™ system - each episode reveals how exceptional thinkers shape narratives, build presence, and communicate in ways that create opportunity. Through a mix of solo tactical episodes and deep conversations with founders and creators who are disrupting and influencing their industries in their own way, you’ll learn how real leaders think, speak, and tell stories that move people. If you're building a company, growing a personal brand on LinkedIn, leading a team, or simply want to communicate with more confidence and conviction - this podcast gives you the tools and perspective shifts to become the most influential person in the room. ➞ Subscribe and learn how to tell stories that sell - and speak with clarity, confidence, and conviction.  ➞ Connect with Jeff Abracen on LinkedIn to continue the conversation.

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