A SEAT at THE TABLE: Helping business leaders grow their influence

A big part of winning at retail is understanding what motivates consumers to buy.

It’s a topic that has gotten increasingly complex now that retail spans so many different channels.

One man has made it his life’s work to go deep and get inside the mind of the consumer.

Meet Paco Underhill, founder and former CEO of Envirosell, a behavioural research and consulting firm that tests prototype stores, as well as monitoring consumer behaviour on websites and in brick and mortar stores.

In this episode, Paco discusses:

1. How fashion has evolved into what he refers to ‘uniforms’ and ‘costumes’

2. The new influences on women’s choice of career wear.

3. Shifts in how consumers shop - and some best practices in how retailers can respond.

So let’s sit down with Paco and try and make sense of today’s fast changing retail market.

USEFUL LINKS:

Connect with Paco Underhill:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/pacounderhill/

Envirosell's website:  https://envirosell.com/

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THE CONSISTENT MARKETING SYSTEM

Stop starting over again each month. We'll work together one-on-one to build a tailor-made system you can repeat each quarter.  Marketing gets done - on easy mode.  Get the details about the Consistent Marketing System.

More resources for B2B marketers at our website at seat.fm

Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Digitising product development and design is the way forward - both from a cost cutting and speed to market point of view. 

However certain aspects of digitising more complex products such as apparel and home textiles are still difficult to do - creating a sticking point for taking this from concept to wide spread implementation.

One of those challenges is being able to digitise fabric swatches so that when brought into a 3D design environment they show all the nuances that the fabric would show if viewed in real life.

That means capturing subtleties in texture, colour, drape, light reflection - and even hand feel.

In a sense, the fabric part of the equation has been sort of the last frontier.

However that is about to change.  Today I’m sitting down with the man who is at the forefront of a new technology that is making it possible to capture textiles in full detail. 

Not only that, he and his team have found a way to make this technology accessible to any company - even SME’s or solopreneurs.

Meet Jorgen Sevild, founder of INQOVA and a partner at Bandicoot. Jorgen has been a pioneer in the development of technology that can solve the problem of creating highly realistic digital textile images.

His academic training as an industrial systems engineer gave him the technical knowledge to work on building this system.  However years of working hands on in the textile industry have given him that all-important understanding of the nuances of textiles - and how they apply to apparel. 

It’s this perfect pairing of the theoretical and the practical that have helped make Bandicoot such a remarkable solution.

In this episode, Jorgen will be discussing

1. The key to digitising fabrics so that they look nearly the same in a 3D rendering as they do in real life.

2. The simple, affordable technology that is set to revolutionise the digitisation of textiles.

3. What a digitised future looks like - from product development through to retail.

One of the biggest challenges that companies face when they look to digitise their design departments - or any other department - is finding that right people with the right skills and experience for this relatively new field of expertise.

However without solid leadership and a good team, companies will face more struggle than success as they try to adapt their business to new digital best practices.

That’s why leading companies turn to Asianet Consultants.  They have a long history of helping businesses find the right talent with the right expertise.

I’ve seen them fill even very difficult to fill positions, ones that enterprises have struggled for months to find the right hire for. 

You can learn more about Asianet Consultants at https://asianetconsultants.com
Meanwhile, let’s sit down with Jorgen and get an inside look at some incredible new technology.

USEFUL LINKS:

Asiannetconsultants:  https://asianetconsultants.com

Connect with Jorgen Sevild:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorgensevild/

Bandicoot Imaging Science website:  https://www.bandicootimaging.com/

INQOVA website:  https://www.inqova.com/

SEND US A MESSAGE

THE CONSISTENT MARKETING SYSTEM

Stop starting over again each month. We'll work together one-on-one to build a tailor-made system you can repeat each quarter.  Marketing gets done - on easy mode.  Get the details about the Consistent Marketing System.

More resources for B2B marketers at our website at seat.fm

Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Sometimes you just have to take matters into your own hands.

That’s exactly what Dawn Strachan did.

With her primary school aged daughter and son  facing learning challenges - and unable to muster support for them from her local school system, Dawn realised that she would need to find her own solution.

So she leaned into her university training in early learning development and education and created her own methods for helping them with math, spelling and reading. 

Dawn realised two fundamentals:  learning needed to be fun in order to keep the student engaged in the lesson. And, each child learns differently, so lessons needed to be modified to the specific needs of the student.

Her success tutoring her own children caught the attention of other parents whose children faced similar challenges.

And thus began a small, sideline tutoring business.  That business is now 11 years old and Dawn now has a team of over 10 tutors who she has trained in her methodology.

She’s also started a franchise business so that parents in other cities or even countries can help their children over come obstacles that might be holding them back in their school work. 

Recognizing the helplessness and frustration that parents can feel when their children are struggling in school, Dawn started a Facebook membership group where parents can find advice and support - from her, as well as other group members.

Today Dawn joins here on A Seat at The Table to share her journey and tells us more about how she built Clara James Tutoring.

USEFUL LINKS:

Connect with Dawn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-strachan/

Connect with Dawn on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/dawn.strachan.39

Clara James Tutoring:  clarajamestutoring.co.uk

SEND US A MESSAGE

THE CONSISTENT MARKETING SYSTEM

Stop starting over again each month. We'll work together one-on-one to build a tailor-made system you can repeat each quarter.  Marketing gets done - on easy mode.  Get the details about the Consistent Marketing System.

More resources for B2B marketers at our website at seat.fm

Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Anyone who has a professional position - whether they are senior executive, a C-suite boss or an entrepreneur - knows that they need to have a presence on LinkedIn.

For most (including myself) that typically ends up being some version of their resume or CV - and not necessarily one that is up to date or particularly compelling. 

However, with companies increasingly using LinkedIn as one of their recruiting tools and clients often using LinkedIn as part of the way they learn about companies or consultants they are considering working with - it might be worth giving your LinkedIn profile a glow up.

To learn about some of the best practices for LinkedIn, I’ve invited LinkedIn branding expert Donna Serdula to join us here on A Seat at The Table.

Donna is a pioneer in LinkedIn profile optimisation and has worked with more than 6,000 executives, entrepreneur and professionals over the past decade to help them stand out in the increasingly crowded world of LinkedIn.


In this episode Donna talks about: 


1. Why your LinkedIn profile should be more than a resume or CV.

2. How companies can enhance their brand image by boosting the profiles of key employees.

3. What executives should post on LinkedIn - and how frequently.


LinkedIn has become the go to repository for job search and recruitment - from mid tier to C-suite.  However sifting and sorting through even the most highly filtered results - and then trying to determine who might be the right fit, connect with them and begin the recruitment process is massive task.  One that most companies only realise once they’ve started to do it.

Leading companies solve this problem - and make the right connections with the right talent - by working a specialised executive search firm like Asianet Consultants.

I’ve seen how the team at Asianet has successfully filled some of the most difficult to fill positions.

With several decades of experience in challenging markets, Asianet has honed the skillset and connections to help companies recruit the kind of people that give them a competitive market advantage.

USEFUL LINKS:

Asianet Consultants:  https://asianetconsultants.com

LinkedIn Makeover website:  LinkedIn-Makeover.com

Connect with Donna Serdula on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/todonna/

SEND US A MESSAGE

THE CONSISTENT MARKETING SYSTEM

Stop starting over again each month. We'll work together one-on-one to build a tailor-made system you can repeat each quarter.  Marketing gets done - on easy mode.  Get the details about the Consistent Marketing System.

More resources for B2B marketers at our website at seat.fm

Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Managing global supply chains has become one of the most challenging, risk intensive aspects of  just about any business.

While the logistics crisis that rocked the past three years has now normalised, geopolitical issues are escalating, key retail markets are uncertain - at best - and then there’s the increasing pressure to meet more stringent demands for transparency.

Oh, and let’s not forget about the ubiquitous price pressure that has always been part of product sourcing.

A growing number of people are looking to technology to create greater supply chain stability.  However even the most advanced technology is only a tool.  The foundational strategies will come from the people who manage the sourcing operations which the technology is supporting.

So then what could companies do to build more stable supply chains?  And what might the new, more resilient supply chain look like?

To find out, I invited Christophe Roussel to join us here on A Seat at The Table.

Christophe has 30 year experience building, shaping, and transforming consumer goods global supply chains (including product development, sourcing, manufacturing, quality, sustainability).

He’s worked for big box retailers such as Carrefour in France or Tesco, and Morrisons or Sainsbury’s in the UK.

Most recently he was EVP Global Sourcing & Manufacturing at U.S. casual wear brand the Gap, Inc.

Christophe’s own consultancy, advisory and interim leadership business, Big Ideas,  helps brands and retailers to transform their end-to-end product supply chains and build integrated partnerships with strategic suppliers. 

At the same time, the consultancy is also helping vendors and manufacturers to diversify their production base into new country of origins and rethink strategically their approach to the customers they want to work with.

In this episode, Christophe will be discussing:

- Practical and actionable ways to create more resilient supply chains
- How to balance the need for reliability with the quest for cheaper prices
- Which technology developments are likely to make the biggest impact on supply chain resilience

USEFUL LINKS:

Asianet Consultants:  https://asianetconsultants.com

Big Ideas Consultants:  https://www.bigideasconsultants.com

Connect with Christoph Roussel:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/rousselchristophe/

SEND US A MESSAGE

THE CONSISTENT MARKETING SYSTEM

Stop starting over again each month. We'll work together one-on-one to build a tailor-made system you can repeat each quarter.  Marketing gets done - on easy mode.  Get the details about the Consistent Marketing System.

More resources for B2B marketers at our website at seat.fm

Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

E-commerce is an essential retail channel, but the costs associated with selling online have become daunting.

From soaring warehousing and last mile delivery costs to high volumes of returns, it can get to the point where the more you sell, the more money you lose.

One cost that has gotten out of control is customer acquisition cost or CAC.

Those pay-per-click ads that drive traffic also take a bit out your margins - in fact they can devour so much of your profits that many sellers are left with mere crumbs.

Today Liam Patterson, co-founder of Bidnamic, a marketing technology platform that helps retailers unlock the full potential of Google Shopping, is joining us here on A Seat at The Table.

Bidnamic uses AI to help retailers optimise their ad spend on Google Shopping, the leading pay-per-click advertising platform.

In this episode Liam will be discussing:

- How the best players are competing - and winning - using Google Shopping.
- How AI can help retailers attract better traffic - rather than more traffic.
- How to develop a strategy to make better ad spend decisions.

USEFUL LINKS:

Asianet Consultants:  https://asianetconsultants.com

Bidnamic:  www.bidnamic.com

Liam Patterson:  Linkedin.com/in/liam-patterson

SEND US A MESSAGE

THE CONSISTENT MARKETING SYSTEM

Stop starting over again each month. We'll work together one-on-one to build a tailor-made system you can repeat each quarter.  Marketing gets done - on easy mode.  Get the details about the Consistent Marketing System.

More resources for B2B marketers at our website at seat.fm

Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Leadership is a big topic these days.  From staff retention to getting better performance from teams, there is a lot of pressure on leadership to be be better leaders.

Probably one of the best of the places to look for role models and best practices in leadership is to the people who manage professional sports teams.

The stakes are high - and so is the pressure.  After all, sports is really all about performance.  And measured in each and every game - and even down to single plays.

And one of the best teams to learn leadership from is the legendary Dallas Cowboys.

Mark Oristano spent 30 years with the Cowboys. Today he is joining us on A Seat at The Table to share the leadership principles that he feels helped drive the Cowboys tremendous success.

Mark worked under the legendary Cowboy president and general manager, Tex Schramm, where he was part of that incredible management style that kept employees working for the team for decades. 

In this episode Mark will share:

- Three ways to to build your team for a long-term future - and that massively reduces turnover.

- How to relate to your team so you become each members’ champion.

- How to be a strong leader without creating a culture of fear.

USEFUL LINKS

Connect with Mark Oristano:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/markoristano/

Lead with Principle website:   LEADWITHPRINCIPLE.COM

Asianet Consultants website:  https://asianetconsultants.com

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More resources for B2B marketers at our website at seat.fm

Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

On the one hand, there’s a low barrier to entry so any size company can participate.  On the other hand, it has become increasingly complex, time consuming - what worked yesterday could very well not be effective tomorrow.

Mastering digital marketing has become a must for most businesses.  Thus learning what’s working - and what’s not - is  critical in order to develop the right strategy for your organisation.

Today’s guest is going to share how to do this.

Chris Pistorius has over 15 years experience in digital marketing.  Before starting his own marketing agency in 2009, he worked for online marketing giants including AOL, Time Warner, Dex and MapQuest.

In this podcast he’ll be discussing:

- What’s working best right now in digital marketing.

- Why paid advertising could be a better strategy than simply increasing your number of posts on social media.

- How to use social media to create a more personal connection with your market.

USEFUL LINKS:

Asianet Consultants:  https://asianetconsultants.com

Connect with Chris Pistorius:

Website: https://kickstartdental.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kickstartdentalmarketing

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KickStartDental

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pistorius/

SEND US A MESSAGE

THE CONSISTENT MARKETING SYSTEM

Stop starting over again each month. We'll work together one-on-one to build a tailor-made system you can repeat each quarter.  Marketing gets done - on easy mode.  Get the details about the Consistent Marketing System.

More resources for B2B marketers at our website at seat.fm

Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Typically marketing and sales  are handled by a company’s  marketing and sales team - who, not surprisingly, approach the task using the standard marketing and sales tools.

But what if we could uncover hidden opportunities or boost our success rate by taking an entirely different approach? 

Our guest today will be talking about why we might want to solve marketing and sales challenges like an engineer - and how his has used this strategy in his company.

I’m Jane Singer and it’s great to have you with us on A Seat at The Table.

Today we have Timothy Partasevitch, Chief Growth Officer at Smart IT joining us.

Tim is a sales and marketing specialist, who solves business challenges like an engineer by focusing on data insights, analyzing what works, what doesn’t, and what can be improved from a technical and financial perspective.

In this podcast he shares his views on:

- How B2B businesses can create a marketing strategy that drives sales.

- Why marketing and sales should be one department - not two.

- The value of building a marketing process.

- Why sales engineering should be your primary strategy.

USEFUL LINKS:

Asianet Consultants:  https://asianetconsultants.com

Connect with Timothy Partasevitch:  https://by.linkedin.com/in/tim-partasevitch

SEND US A MESSAGE

THE CONSISTENT MARKETING SYSTEM

Stop starting over again each month. We'll work together one-on-one to build a tailor-made system you can repeat each quarter.  Marketing gets done - on easy mode.  Get the details about the Consistent Marketing System.

More resources for B2B marketers at our website at seat.fm

Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

For anyone who travels frequent flyer or loyalty programs as they are called play an outsized role in our airline choices.

While most don’t want to admit it, the lure of a free flight or an upgrade is almost irresistible. 

While most of us are active participants in loyalty programs, few of us really understand why they say are so beneficial - to the airlines.

What you you find out might surprise you as much it did me.

Today we are joined by Mark Ross-Smith,  Founder of industry news site “Travel Data Daily”, and CEO of Status Match.

He has 20 years experience leading loyalty programs in telecoms and travel, most recently at Malaysian Airlines.

In this podcast Mark will be unpacking his insider knowledge about how these programs work including

- How loyalty programs are actually a revenue stream - and often profit centre - for airlines.

- New ways that airlines are using customer data find hidden revenue opportunities.

- How loyalty programs can work against a company - if they are not well executed.

USEFUL LINKS

Asianet Consultants:  https://asianetconsultants.com

Connect with Mark Ross-Smith

https://www.linkedin.com/in/markrosssmith/

https://www.statusmatch.com

http://www.TravelDataDaily.com

SEND US A MESSAGE

THE CONSISTENT MARKETING SYSTEM

Stop starting over again each month. We'll work together one-on-one to build a tailor-made system you can repeat each quarter.  Marketing gets done - on easy mode.  Get the details about the Consistent Marketing System.

More resources for B2B marketers at our website at seat.fm

Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm