Unleashed - How to Thrive as an Independent Professional Will Bachman

Show Notes:
Maria Isabel Rios discusses the importance of making a firm work for you, rather than working for your firm. She emphasizes that firm leaders often immerse themselves in their firm in service to growing the firm to make it successful. Maria Isabel suggests that a better way to be a firm leader is to make your firm work for you. This involves finding ways to evaluate your firm, add value to your life, and bring success into the picture.
A Formula to Make Your Firm Work for You
A formula for making a firm work for you includes identifying key areas of importance in your personal life, and looking at your consulting firm's purpose, values, and intentions. Then, you can look at how these elements can intersect. The formula should be tailored to your needs and preferences, and should be specific to your goals. For example, if you want to spend one weekend day with family, zero work, every week for the next 52 weeks, this can be a more specific goal. Another example is a firm leader setting their goals for financial success, which can be a specific percentage of their income that goes into their retirement account. By making these personal intentions specific, you can create a formula that works for you and your firm. 
Personal Intentions and the Intersection with Work
Maria Isabel discusses the importance of identifying personal intentions and focusing on what brings joy to oneself then move on to the intersection with a firm. She describes five models of intention for firms and how this intersects with personal goals. Maria Isabel gives examples of firm leaders intentions and what they want in their personal and professional life, and how they make both work. She suggests that, by focusing on these models, individuals can better understand their intentions and make decisions that align with their goals and objectives. Maria Isabel explains how the different models work in both professional and personal life. 
Shifts and Growth in Business Models
Maria Isabel talks about the concept of a shift in business model. She shares examples of clients who are overworked and need help to reduce their hours and focus on a healthier lifestyle. She emphasizes that independent consultants often have an embedded model in mind, which often involves working long hours for high profits and success. However, when clients feel burnt out, they may need to consider the happiness the firm life brings to the firm leader. To make a shift, Maria Isabel suggests that clients should consider their personal intentions and work backwards to determine how to achieve this. This could involve taking larger projects or creating more sustainability in their pipeline. Additionally, they should strategically shift the model of how they deliver to reduce the firm leader's role in delivery. Maria Isabel also touches on other aspects of the firm's role, such as building a reputation as a thought leader or creating an online course to generate revenue. By planning ahead and aligning activities to achieve these goals, clients can create a sustainable firm that can deliver on their desired lifestyle. Maria Isabel emphasizes the importance of being intentional about what they want and not automatically taking on more projects and hours each week. 
Timestamps:
08:07: Prioritizing personal intentions and defining firm goals for the next 3-5 years
15:55: Building a business model for impact vs. financial gain
23:32: Scaling consulting firms sustainably, prioritizing firm leader's well-being
30:35: Planning and intentionality for consulting firms
 
Links:
https://www.davidafields.com/mondaylive
Website: https://www.davidafields.com/blog
 
Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.
 

Show Notes:
Lindsay McGregor discusses her firm's focus on building high-performing organizations. She explains that the highest performing organizations motivate people in a specific way, unlocking play, purpose, and potential for the problem they're solving. The firm trains leaders to be inspirational and consults with organizations on designing their operating models. She shares a story about how the firm explained the deeper concepts of play at work and how implementing these concepts of play was worth millions of dollars to the fund's portfolio managers every year. Play is often seen as something we do during our hobbies, but when we feel engaged by what we're solving, we perform at our best.

Utilizing Play Concepts for Growth Management
Lindsay talks about the tools used to facilitate the play process and shares a sample engagement with a client who was the founder of a tech company that had scaled rapidly and the former processes no longer worked. Lindsay shares examples of the challenges faced in managing a team due to the rapid growth of the organization, including issues of talent retention, burnout, and AI adoption. To address these issues, Lindsay’s firm found three simple, easy-to-implement routines: goal checks, health checks, and skill checks. She shares a story that demonstrates the benefit of problem-solving activities. She explores each routine and explains that, by focusing on these strategies, companies can ensure their teams are equipped to handle the demands of their rapidly growing environment and maintain a competitive edge.

Outcome-related Goals, Process-related Goals, and Idea-related Goals
The conversation moves to outcome-related, idea-related, and process-related goals in a company. Lindsay emphasizes the importance of tracking process metrics and idea metrics to track how many ideas or experiments are being run. Aggressive goals can lead to increased effort, but it's crucial to manage experimentation and work smarter instead. For example, a tech company's recruiter had to fill double the number of jobs in the coming quarter than she normally does. By breaking down her goal into six categories, AI helped her create five sub-goals that focused on working smarter, not harder. This allowed her and her leader to focus on creatively adapting their approach.

Team Alignment, Strategy, and Outcome Goals
In some organizations, having a senior leader join the goal meetings and challenges can be powerful, as it allows senior leaders to help block the team and identify blockers that are outside of their control. This creates a sense of understanding and cooperation between the team and the executive. The quarterly health process and skill check are essential for ensuring the right goals are set and the team has the necessary skills to accomplish them. Motivation in the workforce is a key factor in achieving success. A study found that people who learn valuable skills on the job and have good work-life balance are more motivated. However, many find learning new skills difficult, as it is often seen as a big training or time-consuming process. Lindsay talks about the problem of skills gaps and how to deal with this issue. Lindsay also mentions the benefits of remote work culture, which can be great but requires more intentional skill building and offers a few approaches to team skill building.

Vega Factor Certification for Consultants
The discussion revolves around the firm's resources and tools for consultants to access, such as goal checks, health checks, and skill checks. One of their current offerings is a platform called Factor, which enables consultants to run goal checks, health checks, and skills checks. They train and certify consultants to do these checks with their organizations. The certification and training process for using the platform is a six-part learning session that goes deep into how to conduct these checks. The platform is designed to help consultants and leaders retain top perfo

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.