Meridian Point

Guest: Glenn Poulos - The entrepreneur who's done it THREE times
Host: Kumar Dattatreyan
Episode: Live conversation that got REAL about sales, failures, and what actually works

Ever wonder what separates entrepreneurs who actually succeed from those who just talk about it? Glenn Poulos isn't your typical business guru. This guy has literally been in the trenches for 40 years, built companies from scratch, sold them for millions, lost everything once, and then did it all over again.

And here's the kicker - he's doing it a THIRD time right now, growing a $3M company while sharing exactly what he's learned. No fluff, no theory, just real talk from someone who's actually done it.

Glenn drops this golden rule early in the conversation, and honestly, it's so simple yet brilliant that you'll probably smack your forehead. It's not just about literally sitting in lobbies - it's about how you show up in every business interaction. The story behind this rule alone is worth the listen.

Wait until you hear about his first exit. Dude became a multimillionaire on paper, then watched it all disappear when the company went bankrupt. Most people would've given up. Glenn? He started over and built an even bigger company. The mindset shift he shares here is pure gold.

Forget the big dramatic business moves you see on social media. Glenn breaks down why focusing on the "second hand" - those tiny, consistent daily actions - is what actually builds million-dollar companies. This hit me right in the feels because it's so true but nobody talks about it.

On Why Face-to-Face Still Wins:

"Every time you're not in front of the customer, someone else is, and that's why they got the order you didn't."

This isn't some old-school dinosaur talking. Glenn's currently running a modern distribution company and he explains exactly why Zoom calls don't close deals the way showing up does. The private jet analogy he uses? Chef's kiss.

On Actually Understanding Your Customers:

"The best way to sell to a customer is to become an absolute expert on how the customer literally makes money."

He breaks down why most salespeople completely miss this and how knowing your customer's real profit centers changes everything about how you pitch.

On When to Walk Away:

"I'd rather be last than second, because second is the first loser."

This strategy probably saved Glenn millions over his career. He explains exactly how to know when you're wasting your time and what to do instead.

Glenn doesn't sugarcoat what's happening right now with tariffs and economic uncertainty. He's literally dealing with potential 50% tariffs on his products while trying to grow his business. The way he and his suppliers are handling this? It's a masterclass in creative problem-solving under pressure.

Plus, his take on AI in sales is refreshingly honest - he's using it where it makes sense but explains why robots can't replace showing up with something in your hand and something in your mind.

The conversation takes an unexpected turn when Glenn talks about what it's really like to sell your business and stay on with new owners. His advice? Get out as fast as possible. The reasoning behind this completely flipped my perspective on exit strategies.

And his current approach to building his third company? It's the complete opposite of hustle culture. He's focused on showing up every day and "doing the next right thing." Sounds simple, but the way he explains it will make you rethink everything about scaling a business.

LinkedIn: Glenn Poulos - Seriously, connect with him. He's one of those rare entrepreneurs who actually engages.

Book: "Never Sit in the Lobby" on Amazon - Quick read, practical stuff you can use immediately

Website: glennpoulos.com - Check out his other podcast appearances

Current Company: Prong USA - He's literally building this in real-time

Look, I've interviewed a lot of entrepreneurs on this show. But Glenn's different. He's not selling courses or coaching programs. He's just a guy who's actually built multiple successful companies sharing what really works. No BS, no hidden agenda, just honest conversation about the realities of entrepreneurship.

The best part? You can tell he's still hungry. At his age and success level, he could easily retire, but he's out there building his third company and loving every minute of it. That energy is contagious.

If this conversation resonated with you, smash that subscribe button. We're going live every week with entrepreneurs and innovators who are actually doing the work, not just talking about it.

Coming up: More real talk with people who are disrupting their industries and changing how business gets done.

Watch the full episode now and let me know in the comments what hit you the most. Was it the lobby rule? The tariff strategy? The second hand philosophy? I'm curious what lands with you.

This was recorded LIVE - thanks to everyone who joined the conversation in real-time and asked questions in the chat!

Ever heard someone say "business process management" and immediately think of soul-crushing bureaucracy? Yeah, so did we. That's exactly why this conversation with Liam O'Neill blew our minds.

Liam runs bpmd, a London-based consultancy that's doing something wild—they're making processes actually ACCELERATE innovation instead of killing it. And they're doing it for massive brands like Lego, BBC, and Sony. How? That's what we dive into.

Right off the bat, Liam admits something most consultants would never say: traditional BPM is broken. He spent years creating those beautiful process models that looked great in presentations but collected dust in real life. Then he had an epiphany—what if processes could actually help businesses move faster instead of slower?

The turning point came when he watched a logistics company transformation completely stall for six months because of handoff failures between teams. That's when he decided to blow up the traditional consulting model.

Here's where it gets interesting. Liam took the Scaled Agile Framework (you know, that thing software teams use) and completely reimagined it for business transformation. But here's the kicker—he had to throw out half the terminology because business people had no clue what "user stories" and "backlogs" meant.

Instead of product owners, they have change owners. Instead of user stories, they call them projects. Simple, right? But this small change unlocked something powerful—suddenly business stakeholders were actually engaged instead of confused.

The concept that's driving everything? Process ownership. Not the fake kind where someone signs off on documentation, but real accountability where people's performance reviews depend on how well their processes actually work.

One client has 600 different processes, each with a specific owner whose job literally depends on that process performing well. Imagine that—your accounts receivable lead's bonus tied to how smoothly accounts receivable actually runs. Wild concept, right?

Remember when SAP bought Signavio for a crazy amount of money? Liam explains why: they realized their implementations were becoming Frankenstein monsters of customization because they weren't starting with business processes. Instead of asking "what do you want the system to do," they're now asking "how do you want to work?"

It's a subtle shift that saves companies millions and actually delivers the ROI they promised their boards.

Most consultancies create dependency. They want you to need them forever. Liam's doing the opposite—he's literally teaching his clients to not need him. And somehow, this approach is growing his business 35% year over year.

The secret? Instead of selling small, isolated projects, he's positioning BPM as the thing that brings together all your change makers—data teams, PMOs, enterprise architects, everyone. Suddenly, you're not buying process consulting; you're buying organizational transformation capability.

In one of the most honest takes we've heard, Liam predicts AI will eventually make business process consultants obsolete. But not yet. Right now, you need human understanding to implement AI effectively. He's even experimenting with a tool called Lovable that builds systems from process descriptions.

His take? Short-term, consultants become more valuable. Long-term? Who knows what work will even look like.

Whether you're drowning in broken processes, leading a digital transformation, or just trying to make your organization move faster, this conversation is packed with ideas you can actually use.

Liam's not selling magic consulting frameworks—he's sharing what actually works when you strip away the BS and focus on getting things done.

He's surprisingly accessible on LinkedIn (posts 2-3 times a week) and genuinely seems to enjoy helping people figure out their process challenges. Just search for Liam O'Neill or bpmd.

Fair warning: if you reach out, come with specific questions. This guy clearly doesn't have patience for vague "let's chat about synergies" messages.

Subscribe if you want more conversations that challenge conventional business wisdom. Next week, we're exploring how AI is quietly revolutionizing traditional industries.

P.S. - If you've got horror stories about failed digital transformations or process initiatives, we want to hear them. Drop us a line.

In this thought-provoking episode, we dive deep into the challenges facing public sector organizations in an era of unprecedented disruption. Vijay Luthra, a strategic advisor with over two decades of experience transforming government services across the UK, NHS, Ministry of Defence, and Saudi Arabia's health economy, shares his insights on why most government transformations fail and how leaders can build truly resilient public services.

From the pressures of aging populations to the promise and perils of AI, Vijay explores how public sector leaders must "spin two plates" - managing immediate fiscal pressures while building long-term organizational resilience. He challenges the tech-first approach that dominates transformation efforts and advocates for a human-centered methodology that puts people before processes and technology.

🎯 The Fifth Industrial Revolution

🔄 The "Two Plates" Challenge

🚫 Why Technology-First Approaches Fail

🎯 Human-Centered Transformation

🔮 Future of Work and Society

"This technological revolution, AI robotics, probably won't create as many jobs as previous technological revolutions have. And I think that's a very, very significant issue."

"There is very little point in undertaking an ambitious technology transformation if your organization isn't ready for it."

"My concern always comes back to the future of humanity... it's more than ever about creating that human-centered world."

"The smartest person in the room is the one who knows how to tap into the intelligence of everyone in the room."

Vijay Luthra is a strategic advisor and consultant to senior leaders in public services. A Chartered Fellow of the APM and Chartered Management Consultant, he previously worked at PwC, PA Consulting, and Capita. As a former Civil Servant, Vijay has advised leaders across the NHS, UK Ministry of Defence, Department for Education, and local government.

His transformational work includes helping establish Greater Manchester's devolved health system, leading transformation in the UK DfE and MoD, and contributing to Saudi Arabia's health economy transformation as part of Vision 2030. A renal transplant recipient and advocate for neurodiverse talent, he serves on multiple charity boards and holds an MSc in Public Policy and Management from King's College London.

Subscribe to The Meridian Point for more insights on disruption and innovation, and join our community of leaders navigating transformational change.

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In this episode of the Disruption and Innovation Podcast, host Kumar Dattatreyan sits down with Josh Wood, a Tasmanian-based fitness expert and TEDx speaker who transformed his entire business model during the pandemic. Josh shares how COVID-19 lockdowns forced him to completely reimagine fitness coaching, leading to the development of his innovative "thin edge of the wedge" philosophy.

Key Discussion Points:

Special Highlight: Josh recently launched "Macro Masala," an Indian-cuisine cookbook focused on macro-friendly nutrition that took 18 months to complete.

Perfect for listeners interested in:

Josh's story demonstrates how forced disruption can lead to innovation, scalability, and ultimately better client outcomes - proving that sometimes the best business pivots come from necessity, not choice.

Episode Duration: 45 minutes
Hosts: Kumar Dattatreyan & Glenn Marshall

The average company spends 21% of its time (one full day every week) in meetings just trying to get different departments to talk to each other.

Organizations inevitably mirror their communication structures in their products. Siloed companies create siloed experiences for customers, while connected organizations deliver seamless value.

Glenn shares how Elon Musk's famous memo empowers employees to bypass hierarchy entirely: "If you encounter an issue, go directly to where it originates. Don't go through your manager—go to the source."

In one major North American bank, 85-90% of the IT budget goes to moving software between environments rather than creating customer value. This isn't just inefficiency—it's organizational madness.

The controversial take: Silos aren't inherently bad. They're an inevitable result of organizational growth and specialization. The key is making them permeable rather than trying to eliminate them entirely.

Test your organization's silo health with these questions:

"Can any employee easily get the information they need to serve a customer?"

"Do decisions get made by the people closest to the impact?"

"When something goes wrong, do teams blame each other or work together to solve it?"

4,000 autonomous teams with P&L accountability, supported by leadership in a servant model. Each team operates like a mini-company within the larger ecosystem.

Complete reorganization around customer journeys rather than traditional banking functions, creating cross-functional "tribes."

Small, autonomous teams that own entire customer experiences, eliminating the unclear ownership of large cross-functional groups.

Myth: "Regulatory industries need lots of hierarchy"
Truth: Regulations require certain outputs and audit trails, not specific organizational structures. An auditor at an Agile conference revealed: "We hate the garbage you send us as much as you hate creating it. Let's work together instead."

Instead of eliminating silos, create bridges and tunnels between them:

Silos will form naturally as organizations grow. The question isn't whether you'll have them, but whether they'll help or hinder your ability to serve customers. Make them permeable, not permanent barriers.

Resources Mentioned:

Blog post detailing the 3-Question Silo Diagnostic: https://www.agilemeridian.com/blog/The%20Ultimate%20Silo%20Buster

What silos exist in your organization? How much of your week is spent in "coordination meetings"? Share your experiences in the comments below.

The shocking truth about modern marketing: 89% of all marketing campaigns go completely unnoticed or forgotten. That's $534 million dollars literally flushed down the toilet in the US alone.

In this eye-opening episode, Gee Ranasinha, CEO of award-winning agency KEXINO and behavioral economics professor, reveals why the marketing industry's obsession with data and technology is actually making campaigns LESS effective - and what businesses need to do instead.

Gee breaks down complex behavioral science concepts into actionable insights, explaining why successful marketing addresses emotional drivers first, then provides rational justifications. Whether you're a business owner frustrated with poor marketing ROI or a marketer looking to create campaigns that actually work, this episode provides a roadmap for marketing that connects with human psychology rather than just spreadsheet metrics.

Key Quote: "We buy emotionally and post-rationalize logically. Marketing needs to address both halves of that process."

Gee has been in marketing since the dial-up internet era and is CEO of KEXINO, which has helped over 400 startups and small businesses across 20 countries. As a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and Visiting Professor teaching behavioral economics at two business schools, he brings rare depth to understanding what makes marketing actually work.

Connect with Gee:

Subscribe to The Meridian Point for more insights on disruption, innovation, and transformation that challenge conventional business thinking.

"The marketing successes of the future won't be technologically based - they'll be psychologically based." - Gee Ranasinha

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this compelling episode of The Meridian Point, host Kumar Dattatreyan interviews Dr. Ron Stotts, a transformational executive coach who combines ancient wisdom with modern neuroscience to help leaders achieve higher levels of consciousness and effectiveness. Dr. Stotts shares his journey from Marine Corps service to becoming a three-time bestselling author with a PhD in psychology and Doctor of Chiropractic who has guided countless executives and entrepreneurs to create more conscious, caring, and profitable organizations.

Dr. Stotts reveals how a pivotal moment on a Marine Corps rifle range led to a profound personal awakening, launching his lifelong mission to help leaders reconnect with their authentic selves. This transformational journey forms the foundation of his approach to leadership development.

Discover why transformational change must begin with the leader, not the team. Dr. Stotts explains:

"It's the biggest problem I see in leadership today—they look outside of themselves for all the problems and solutions. And really, that's not where the answer is. The answers they're looking for are within themselves."

Learn how leaders literally rewire their brains for higher-level thinking and agile mindsets by:

Dr. Stotts shares that transformed leaders typically see at least a 20% increase in productivity and profits—often much more—as they create environments where teams can collaborate effectively and innovate freely.

Discover Dr. Stotts' powerful yet simple approach to mindfulness:

"My most trusted advisor, best friend, spiritual teacher... is my breathing. My breathing really tells me everything. Use the breath to look deeper. You can use the breath to move into any level of consciousness you want to be in."

Dr. Ron Stotts is a three-time bestselling author with a PhD in psychology and a Doctor of Chiropractic. He has explored the depths of ancient wisdom and the latest neurological studies to develop his unique approach to conscious leadership. After his own transformational journey following service in the Marine Corps, Dr. Stotts has dedicated decades to helping executives and entrepreneurs reach their highest potential.

The Meridian Point podcast explores transformational leadership and innovative business strategies with thought leaders from around the world. Hosted by Kumar Datatran.

In this episode of the Meridian Point, Kumar Dattatreyan interviews Chris Dyer, recognized as the #1 leadership speaker on culture by Inc. Magazine and author of three bestselling books including "The Power of Company Culture" and "Remote Work." Chris shares how a company's meeting culture can reveal its true organizational DNA and offers practical strategies for improving both meetings and workplace culture.

Chris's research reveals seven key pillars that all great company cultures share:

Implement focused, efficient meetings: Create different types of meetings for different purposes with clear expectations.

In remote settings: Use opening and closing check-ins to gauge team members' mental states and detect issues early.

Increase transparency: Share more information with employees about decisions, finances, and company direction.

Replace annual surveys: Use weekly single-question surveys with quick follow-up actions.

Focus on strengths: What you focus on grows; recognize positive behaviors to see more of them.

"We have to have many different types of meetings that are different lengths, different focuses, have different rules and permissions around them so people can navigate meetings differently."

"What you focus on grows."

"My job as a CEO was really to get out my virtual machete every single day and find ways to cut crap, cut meetings, cut things that was wasting people's time, energy, and focus."

For more insights on company culture and leadership, follow Chris Dyer's work through his books and speaking engagements.

Join us for more conversations on disruption and innovation in the workplace!

Episode Summary: In this illuminating conversation, Kumar Dattatreyan sits down with Desiree Goldey, a disruptive force in talent and culture transformation. As Director of Talent Operations at ZRG Partners and Founder of Do Better Consulting, Desiree shares her unique approach to creating lasting organizational impacts through individual mindset change and data-driven insights.

Key Topics Explored:

Notable Quotes:

Practical Insights:

About Desiree Goldey: Desiree brings a wealth of experience from across multiple industries including hospitality, CPG, sales, and talent acquisition. Her journey from the hospitality industry to talent operations provides her with unique insights into leadership development and organizational culture. As the founder of Do Better Consulting, she challenges traditional approaches to DEI and workplace culture through a focus on individual mindset change.

Connect with Desiree: https://www.linkedin.com/in/desireegoldey/

Next Episode: Stay tuned for a follow-up conversation with Desiree about leadership in the age of AI - exploring how technology is transforming how we identify, develop, and evaluate leadership potential.

What's the secret behind groundbreaking innovation at companies like Apple and Tesla? In this episode of The Meridian Point, Kumar Dattatreyan and Glenn Marshall unpack the psychological safety paradox: how seemingly demanding leaders like Steve Jobs and Elon Musk create environments where innovation flourishes.

The hosts explore how mission-driven organizations balance psychological safety with high standards, enabling teams to take risks, challenge ideas, and occasionally fail without fear. Discover why psychological safety isn't about comfort but about creating space for experimentation that leads to revolutionary products.

This conversation offers essential insights for anyone interested in building innovative teams, revealing how psychological safety operates at multiple levels and why it looks different across organizations. Don't miss this deep dive into the leadership dynamics that drive today's most disruptive companies.