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Curious about AI but short on time? This episode of the Growth Department podcast gives leaders and operators a plain-English playbook. Chelsey sits down with AI engineering leader and author Sairam Sundaresan to unpack what actually moves the needle. No jargon. Just practical wins you can plug into your business this week.

You will hear how Sairam thinks about AI literacy for leaders, why simple tools beat shiny toys, and where agents fit in. He also shares a 30-minutes-a-day routine to build real capability without hiring a full team. His new book, AI For The Rest Of Us, is packed with hand-drawn illustrations and clear examples. We link it below.

About Sairam Sundaresan

Sairam is one of LinkedIn’s top AI creators and a global thought leader in practical AI adoption. He leads teams building computer vision systems that help machines understand the world, and his work has been featured in Forbes and WIRED. 

Beyond the lab, he’s helping business leaders make sense of AI through his newsletter Gradient Ascent and his new book AI For The Rest Of Us, designed to help non-technical professionals learn AI in plain English.

What you’ll learn in this episode

• A simple way to spot hype versus real value in AI so you invest wisely.
• How to map a workflow and use AI to remove repetitive steps.
• What AI agents are and when they outperform basic chat.
• Smart privacy habits for small teams without enterprise contracts.
• A daily 30-minute practice that compounds into serious leverage.

Follow Sairam:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sairam-sundaresan/

Read AI for the Rest of Us:

https://www.amazon.com/AI-Rest-Us-Illustrated-Introduction/dp/B0F29THNLT

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Each week, we interview founders, business leaders, and experts in their field about how to grow a business and the personal growth that comes with the journey. #LetsGrow !

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Modern buyers are tuning out the cold pitch, so smart founders and sales leaders are changing how they sell.

In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey sits down with Joe Candido, founder of Fifth Element Associates and best selling author of Leadership Selling, to explore how sales leaders can ditch outdated tactics and start leading with outcomes that matter.

Joe breaks down why traditional selling is dead, what it means to “sell to leaders,” and how the best sales teams are closing more deals with trust, curiosity, and connection. He also shares how AI can actually improve the human side of selling when used the right way (no slop, please).

If you’ve ever wondered how to transform your sales team from transactional and "dialing for dollars" into a truly relationship-driven team, this one’s for you.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• How founders can drive results without old-school pitching
• Why relationships outperform cold calls every time
• The four stages of Leadership Selling (and how to apply them)
• How to use AI for smarter prospecting and stronger relationships
• Why top sales teams focus on performance, not just enablement tools
  
  

💡 Subscribe to the Growth Department podcast for more leader-focused conversations that help you grow smarter and lead stronger.

About Joe Candido
Founder, Sales Consultant, and Author of Leadership Selling

Joe leads Fifth Element Associates and Executive Crash Course, helping CEOs, business owners, and sales leaders build high-performing, customer-centric sales organizations. His team has worked across telecommunications, healthcare, and more—driving growth through strategy, leadership, and real-world performance.

Learn more and get the book at www.leadership-selling.com 

Follow Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-candido/

If you found enjoyed this episode, please consider sharing with a friend and leaving a review so others can find us!
Each week, we interview founders, business leaders, and experts in their field about how to grow a business and the personal growth that comes with the journey. #LetsGrow !

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You don’t need a massive following to see real results on LinkedIn. In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey sits down with Kayla Ihrig, founder of Writing From Nowhere, to uncover how entrepreneurs can grow their visibility and revenue on LinkedIn with just 30 minutes a day.

Kayla shares her best strategies for clear positioning, daily engagement, and creating content that builds genuine relationships instead of chasing algorithms. 

Whether you’ve avoided LinkedIn because it feels awkward or you’re ready to show up more consistently, this conversation will help you step confidently onto the digital dance floor.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• How to curate your feed so LinkedIn feels like the right room to be in
• Why commenting is the secret growth engine most people overlook
• How to update your profile so it attracts real opportunities (and media features!)
• The types of posts that actually build connection and engagement
• How to make the most of your 30 minutes a day on LinkedIn

Folks Kayla recommends following: 

• Nausheen I. Chen (public speaking/communication)
• Rahul Choudhary (email marketing) 
• Zoe Ashbridge (SEO) 
• Jasmin (Jay) Alić (LinkedIn/copywriting)
• Amelia Sordell (LinkedIn/personal branding) 
• Nick Broekema (content design) 
• Prakhar Sharma (LinkedIn) 
• Shoaib Ahmed (personal branding) 
• Magali De Reu (paid speaking) 
• Matt Barker (LinkedIn) 
• Rana EL Arnaout (LinkedIn)
• Phil Shorland (storytelling) 
• Lyssa Jackson (personal branding)
• Alefiya Khoraki (copywriting) 
• Najma D Abdi (content creation) 

If you found enjoyed this episode, please consider sharing with a friend and leaving a review so others can find us!
Each week, we interview founders, business leaders, and experts in their field about how to grow a business and the personal growth that comes with the journey. #LetsGrow !

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AI is changing marketing fast. Wes Towers used it to rebuild Uplift 360 and create the most profitable year in company history, all while doubling down on authenticity. 

In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey and Wes break down the systems, content, and team moves that let a boutique agency serve construction brands at a higher level.

You will learn how Uplift 360 helps builders, trades, and materials companies show up in AI overviews and search. Wes walks through their shift to “search everywhere optimization,” why human touch points matter more than ever, and how simple founder-led content can outperform polished campaigns. 

If you lead a growing business and want AI to amplify your team rather than replace it, this conversation will give you a clear path.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Practical ways to plug AI into your website workflow without losing authenticity.
• A framework for search everywhere optimization across Google, LLMs, and social discovery.
• Content plays that build trust, including voice guides, founder profiles, and rough project reels.
• How to retool WordPress stacks and SOPs so projects ship faster and sales stay steady.
  
  

Guest: Wes Towers, founder of Uplift 360. Uplift 360 specializes in high performing websites for construction related businesses; offerings include bespoke design and development, ongoing enhancements, targeted SEO, UX improvements, and full website audits.

You can reach out to him and follow his team here:

https://uplift360.com.au/
https://www.facebook.com/Uplift360Aus
https://x.com/uplift_360
https://www.instagram.com/uplift_360/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/westowers/
https://www.tiktok.com/@westowers

PS- here's the Australian Football team's website we were chatting about! 

https://www.geelongcats.com.au/

If you enjoy conversations like this, subscribe to the channel and share the episode with a founder friend. For growth tools and services, visit GrowthDepartment.com

If you found enjoyed this episode, please consider sharing with a friend and leaving a review so others can find us!
Each week, we interview founders, business leaders, and experts in their field about how to grow a business and the personal growth that comes with the journey. #LetsGrow !

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Every founder and executive leader wants a high-performing team. But when cracks start to form in your company culture, performance and retention take the hit.

In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey Reynolds sits down with Janice Brathwaite, CEO & founder of Workplace Transformations, creator of the Workplace Transformation Method™, and an expert in helping organizations diagnose and repair cultural breakdowns before they turn into business problems.

With over 17 years in healthcare and 10 years consulting with for-profit companies, Janice has guided leaders to identify hidden “culture debt,” rebuild trust, and create workplaces that attract and sustain top talent. Her five-pillar process—Diagnose, Align, Attract, Activate, and Sustain—has helped organizations nationwide move from surviving to thriving.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• How to spot the early warning signs of culture cracks before they widen
• Why communication and recognition are the twin engines of healthy teams
• How leaders can earn genuine buy-in and psychological safety across levels
• The five-step framework for transforming workplace culture with intention
• Why outside assessments can help you see what’s hiding under the rug

Meet our guest:

You can find Janice online on her website, LinkedIn, facebook, and instagram! 

If you found enjoyed this episode, please consider sharing with a friend and leaving a review so others can find us!
Each week, we interview founders, business leaders, and experts in their field about how to grow a business and the personal growth that comes with the journey. #LetsGrow !

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Clean data. Clear revenue. Is this dream-come-true world in a CRM possible?

In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey Reynolds sits down with Jasz Joseph, Founder & HubSpot Strategist, human-centered growth advocate, and connector of people and opportunities. Jasz shares how lean teams can get more from HubSpot without adding more complexity.

After years working for top HubSpot partner agencies, Jasz saw a pattern she couldn’t ignore. Companies were investing thousands in HubSpot and other marketing tech but weren’t seeing results. So in 2021, she launched her own consultancy with a mission to fix that. Today, she helps growth-minded teams turn messy CRMs into revenue machines through clarity, accountability, and strategy that actually drives sales.

You’ll hear how to:

• Move from spreadsheets to a fully functioning CRM
• Keep data clean without burning out your team
• Create automations that nurture prospects while you focus on closing
• Build dashboards that prove ROI in real dollars
• Integrate AI tools that make selling faster and smarter
  
  

Jasz shares real client stories, from small startups to $11M teams, showing how targeted automations generated an extra $1M in revenue. Chelsey adds a founder’s perspective on scaling with HubSpot—turning a small team and a clear system into exponential growth.

If you’ve ever felt like your CRM is just a spreadsheet with better branding, this episode will show you how to make it work for you.

✨ Learn more about Jasz at www.jaszrae.com
📈 Subscribe for weekly founder-focused growth playbooks.
🌐 Explore more at  GrowthDepartment.com

If you found enjoyed this episode, please consider sharing with a friend and leaving a review so others can find us!
Each week, we interview founders, business leaders, and experts in their field about how to grow a business and the personal growth that comes with the journey. #LetsGrow !

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What if we could prove that prioritizing inclusion = a more profitable way to run your business?

In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey talks with Joseph Santana, executive advisor, inclusion strategist, and host of the ERG PowerTalk® Podcast. Together, they explore how companies can move inclusion beyond HR checklists and turn it into a measurable business advantage.

Joe is the Chairman of the CDO PowerCircle and a trusted advisor to executives from companies that collectively generate nearly one trillion dollars in revenue. As a former line executive with multimillion-dollar P&L responsibility, he led inclusion across a 65,000-person enterprise and helped unlock hundreds of millions in revenue while strengthening culture and reducing costs.

Through his coaching and development programs for DEI leaders, Joe equips executives to connect inclusion directly to business outcomes. His approach turns inclusion into a true center of excellence that drives growth, efficiency, and shareholder value.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• How inclusion directly impacts retention, innovation, and revenue
• Ways to measure the business ROI of inclusive practices
• How to build an inclusion strategy that earns C-suite support
• The key differences between performative DEI and purposeful inclusion
• Why inclusion belongs at the center of your business, not just in HR

🎙️ Guest: Joseph Santana
Executive Advisor | Inclusion Strategist | Chairman, CDO PowerCircle | Host, ERG PowerTalk® Podcast

🔗 Connect with Joe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joesantana/

#dei #inclusiveworkforce #profitable

If you found enjoyed this episode, please consider sharing with a friend and leaving a review so others can find us!
Each week, we interview founders, business leaders, and experts in their field about how to grow a business and the personal growth that comes with the journey. #LetsGrow !

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When culture feels confusing, growth stalls. In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey sits down with organizational strategist and author Matthew Person to unpack why so many company cultures quietly break down and how his “Square Management System” helps leaders create alignment, trust, and scalable clarity.

Matthew brings nearly 25 years of experience helping companies create and capture enterprise value. He’s the creator of the proprietary Square Management System, and author of the upcoming book The Culture of Alignment. Matt has led global M&A strategy for high-growth SaaS businesses in addition to a decade in executive management for professional sports franchises, and he built his career around designing organizations that perform at their best.

Matthew introduces a concept he calls constrained independence: the idea that the most effective teams know exactly how much freedom they have to innovate, decide, and act. The result? Happier employees, faster decisions, and cultures that actually scale.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• How most “culture programs” miss the mark — and what to do instead
• Why alignment is the foundation of high performance
• The four sides of the “culture box” that keep teams moving fast and in sync
• How constrained independence creates trust and clarity at scale
• Why intentionally designing your culture fuels growth
  
  

If you're wondering how to start designing your company culture, this conversation offers creative ideas and simple steps to take to get started.

Follow Matt Person:

LinkedIn  |   TownSquare Advisors Website

If you found enjoyed this episode, please consider sharing with a friend and leaving a review so others can find us!
Each week, we interview founders, business leaders, and experts in their field about how to grow a business and the personal growth that comes with the journey. #LetsGrow !

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Growing a transferable business starts with clarity. In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey Reynolds sits down with Stephen Wolford of Foresight Growth Advisors to explore what it takes to build a company that gives you freedom today and flexibility tomorrow.

Stephen shares how to remove owner dependency, improve financial visibility, and strengthen leadership so your business runs smoothly with or without you. You’ll hear how proactive planning turns exit readiness into an everyday strategy that drives both growth and value creation.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• How clean financials create clarity for decision-making and enterprise value
• Ways to reduce owner dependency and develop strong leadership teams
• A simple gap analysis to align profit, value, and personal wealth goals
• How to scale operations using data, enablement, and culture
• When to communicate long-term plans with your team and keep key people engaged

If you’re a founder or business owner looking for ways to scale with confidence and plan for the future, this episode is packed with practical advice you can apply today.

🎧 Subscribe to the Growth Department podcast for more founder-focused insights. Visit GrowthDepartment.com for resources that help you grow smarter and plan with purpose.

About Our Guest

Stephen Wolford is a growth advisor to lower middle market and SMB business owners. He is a CEPA who brings decades of experience across finance, operations, and go-to-market. Stephen is a former partner within the Microsoft, NetSuite, Sage, and Workday ecosystems. He specializes in turning exit planning into a strategic journey that maximizes enterprise value and aligns with the owner’s vision.

Stephen’s methodology connects the personal, financial, and business dimensions of an owner’s life to create a clear roadmap to desired outcomes. Beyond exit planning, he and his team provide Growth Advisory and Execution services that pinpoint high-impact optimization opportunities with strong ROI. They lead assessment, planning, and implementation so owners can stay focused on daily priorities while value-enhancing initiatives move forward.

If you’d like to connect, visit https://www.foresightga.com/ or find him on Linkedin here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenrwolford/

Specialties: Exit and succession planning. Exit readiness. Growth strategy and execution. Strategic planning. Finance and accounting. SaaS. Cloud technologies. ERP. CPM. BI. Startup operations. Sales and marketing. Employee performance and well-being. Outsourcing and in-house operations. Project management. Leadership coaching. Business development.

If you found enjoyed this episode, please consider sharing with a friend and leaving a review so others can find us!
Each week, we interview founders, business leaders, and experts in their field about how to grow a business and the personal growth that comes with the journey. #LetsGrow !

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What if your brand could become the trusted voice your audience looks for first? In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Arias WebsterBerry shares how he built multiple businesses by shifting from random acts of marketing to conversations at scale.

He breaks down Social Authority, his blend of smart PR and consistent content, and shows how creative-first thinking gives founders a real growth edge. You’ll hear his incredible journey from homelessness to running arena-sized campaigns and how his systems mindset powers Launch Ignition AI and the Content Cannon method. This conversation is all about structure over stress and growth through clarity.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• How to build Social Authority with content and third-party validation
• How to have real conversations at scale without sounding automated
• Why creative-first campaigns lower CAC and lift conversion
• How to use avatars to keep your voice consistent as you grow
• Frameworks that replace firefighting, including Content Cannon and Launch Ignition AI

You’ll walk away with a sharper plan to earn attention, build trust, and scale with confidence.

About the Guest

Arias WebsterBerry is an entrepreneur, author, speaker, and trainer dedicated to helping founders grow with structure and confidence. As CEO of WebsterBerry Marketing and Ignite Funnels, he helps businesses scale with smart systems and creative-first marketing.

He is also the founder of Launch Ignition: Business Accelerator, where he empowers entrepreneurs to turn ideas into action. Arias is the author of Content Cannon, a practical guide to turning one focused session into a month of high-converting content. His passion is helping African-American businesses rise and thrive through stronger systems, sharper strategies, and stories that build trust.

Follow Arias and his teams:

WebsterBerry Marketing: https://www.websterberrymarketing.com
Launch Ignition AI: https://www.launchignition.ai
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ariaswebsterberry
Instagram: @AriasWebsterBerry
Facebook: Arias WebsterBerry

If you found enjoyed this episode, please consider sharing with a friend and leaving a review so others can find us!
Each week, we interview founders, business leaders, and experts in their field about how to grow a business and the personal growth that comes with the journey. #LetsGrow !

Want to stay in the know with all-things Growth Department?

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Website | LinkedIn | TikTok | Instagram | YouTube | X