Modern Ideas for Business

When the Old Rules Stop Working: Jennifer Vessels on Leadership and AI

What if the management practices that made your business successful are now holding it back?

Artificial intelligence is transforming business, but simply buying new technology won't solve outdated processes or ineffective leadership practices.

In this episode of Modern Ideas for Business, host Paul Duren talks with Jennifer Vessels, CEO of Next Step and author of Emergence: How Leaders Break Free From Outdated Thinking.

Jennifer shares lessons from Adobe's transformation from packaged software to cloud subscriptions, including why redefining the company's purpose was more important than repeating strategies that no longer worked.

She also discusses an organization that invested millions in AI technology and training without seeing a return, and explains why leaders need to begin with business objectives rather than technology purchases.

You'll discover:

• Why traditional management practices are losing effectiveness
• What Adobe's transformation teaches us about business reinvention
• Why AI investments sometimes fail to deliver results
• How the P.E.A.C.E. framework helps leaders navigate uncertainty
• Why smaller businesses can have an advantage when adapting to change
• Why the most effective leaders are willing to admit they don't have all the answers

Jennifer's P.E.A.C.E. framework stands for Purpose, Exploration, Action, Collaboration, and Empowerment.

About Jennifer Vessels

Jennifer is CEO of Next Step, a global business transformation firm, and author of Emergence: How Leaders Break Free From Outdated Thinking.

Learn more: https://www.nextstepgrowth.com

Join Jennifer's upcoming webinar

Thrive in Uncertainty: How Leaders Can Navigate What's Next

December 10, 2026 | 10–11 AM Pacific

Webinar information: https://modernideasforbusiness.com

Modern Ideas for Business features practical conversations with experienced leaders about business strategy, technology, leadership, and the future of work.

Explore more episodes at https://modernideasforbusiness.com.

Register free for our live webinar with Vic McKnight, Oct. 8 at 10 a.m. PT: https://modernideasforbusiness.com/what-employees-want-now/

PwC projects group health costs will rise about 9% in 2027 if benefits stay the same. If renewal season is already on your calendar, what can you do about it without gutting the benefits your people value?

Paul Duren talks with Vic McKnight, Vice President at Brown & Brown Insurance and an employee benefits consultant with more than 32 years in the industry, about what is pushing costs up and what employers can do before the renewal lands.

IN THIS CONVERSATION

- Why health costs keep climbing: prescription drugs, GLP-1s, and a surge in very high-cost claims

- Why leadership needs a multi-year benefits plan instead of an annual scramble

- The "easy" levers (employer pays more, employee pays more, reduce benefits) and the alternatives beyond them

- Cost-effective networks and high-deductible plans, and how employer support can change the math

- Why the size of your group (under vs. over 100 employees) changes how much your own claims matter

- Why employees struggle at open enrollment, and how to help them choose

- A real (anonymous) employer story: replacing an HMO, self-funding, and supporting employees through the change

- What leadership teams should review before the renewal meeting

JOIN THE LIVE WEBINAR

"What Employees Want Now: Benefits Trends Every Employer Should Know"

Thursday, October 8, 2026 | 10-11 a.m. Pacific | Live Q&A

Register: https://modernideasforbusiness.com/what-employees-want-now/

ABOUT THE GUEST

Vic McKnight is Vice President at Brown & Brown Insurance. He helps employers find hidden costs and opportunities to improve the efficiency and financial performance of their benefit programs while protecting the employee experience.

ABOUT MODERN IDEAS FOR BUSINESS

A free monthly webinar and podcast series for business owners and their professional advisors, hosted by Paul Duren. Watch more: https://modernideasforbusiness.com

Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@Modernideasforbusiness

Sources: PwC "Behind the Numbers: Medical cost trend 2027" (9% projected group medical cost trend, assuming benefits stay the same). This program is for general information and is not insurance, legal, tax or financial advice.

#EmployeeBenefits #HealthcareCosts #HealthInsurance

--------------------------------- END ---------------------------------

Notes on the description

- The first two lines are what shows before "Show more" and in search: link + 9% hook. Keep them.

- The first three hashtags become the ones shown above the title. Keep only three in the description.

- The "GLP-1s" and "very high-cost claims" bullets come straight from Vic's first answer. The chapter times

were built against the 17:22 edit; see Section 10 to recheck.

- The 9% is a projected trend, not a guaranteed renewal for any individual employer. Do not shorten it to "costs

WILL rise 9%" in clips or posts.

Could an Employee Stock Ownership Plan help a business owner create liquidity without sacrificing the company’s independence, culture or legacy?

In this Modern Ideas for Business webinar, ESOP attorney Kevin G. Long explains how employee ownership can function as both a retirement benefit and a flexible corporate-finance strategy. He examines the practical question owners and advisers ask first: Is an ESOP right for this company?

Kevin covers the owner objectives that often drive an ESOP conversation, including liquidity, continuity, control and legacy. He compares ESOPs with private equity, explains leveraged and non-leveraged structures, discusses staged and 100% transactions, and outlines important tax considerations for C corporations and S corporations. The presentation also addresses valuation, financing capacity, repurchase obligations, management succession, employee participation and the adviser team needed to build a sustainable plan.

You’ll learn:
• What makes a business a potential ESOP candidate
• How an ESOP may support succession and owner liquidity
• Why cash flow and debt capacity drive transaction feasibility
• How staged ownership can preserve flexibility and control
• What owners, companies, employees and trustees each need from the structure
• When an ESOP may not be the right answer

Kevin G. Long is Shareholder and President of Employee Benefits Law Group PC and has advised companies on ESOPs for more than three decades.

Learn more:
Modern Ideas for Business: https://modernideasforbusiness.com/
Employee Benefits Law Group PC: https://www.employeebenefitslawgroup.com/
ESOP information and research: https://www.esopinfo.org/

This program is for educational purposes only and is not legal, tax, valuation or financial advice. ESOPs are highly fact-specific. Consult qualified advisers, including your tax adviser, before acting.

#ESOP #SuccessionPlanning #EmployeeOwnership

Could selling your company to an employee stock ownership plan provide liquidity, reward employees and preserve the company’s legacy?

ESOP attorney Kevin Long joins Paul Duren for a concise introduction to employee stock ownership plans. Kevin addresses several persistent ESOP misconceptions, explains why employees do not automatically take control of the company and discusses the flexibility owners have to sell anywhere from a portion of the business to 100%.

They also examine the characteristics of a suitable ESOP company, why an owner’s attitude toward employees matters and the warning signs that can create problems.

Kevin will explore the subject in greater depth during the Modern Ideas for Business webinar “ESOPs Demystified: Is Employee Ownership Right for Your Business?” on September 10, 2026, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time.

Register: https://modernideasforbusiness.com/esops-demystified/
Kevin Long and Employee Benefits Law Group PC: https://www.employeebenefitslawgroup.com/

This episode is for general educational purposes. Consult your own legal, tax and financial advisers before pursuing an ESOP transaction.

Why do promising prospects understand that they need your expertise but still postpone the decision?

Mandi Ellefson joins Modern Ideas for Business to explain how buyer behavior has changed—and why attracting more leads may not solve the real problem.

Mandi discusses how buyers evaluate value, reward, and risk; what separates an ordinary service provider from a trusted growth partner; and how professional service firms can improve their positioning without competing primarily on price.

She also shares practical ways to find near-term opportunities among current clients, former clients, lost opportunities, and referral relationships.

This conversation is especially relevant to consultants, professional service firms, marketing and digital agencies, advisors, and other businesses that sell expertise.

Learn more at ModernIdeasForBusiness.com.

Business owners have more data than ever—but many still struggle to turn financial statements, customer information and operating reports into better decisions.

In this episode of Modern Ideas for Business, host Paul Duren speaks with Silicon Valley investment banker Shawn Flynn about using AI to understand business performance, identify red and yellow flags, strengthen cash flow and prepare a company for financing or a future transaction.

Paul and Shawn discuss how AI can help business owners:

• Analyze financial statements and management reports
• Explain budget and margin variances in plain language
• Model pricing, customer mix and cash-flow changes
• Identify which marketing and customer-acquisition activities are working
• Compare company performance with industry expectations
• Prepare for lender, investor and buyer questions
• Find missing documents, expiring contracts and due-diligence issues
• Use secure virtual data rooms and protect confidential information
• Build a more credible action plan before raising capital or selling

They also address an essential limitation: AI-generated work must still be reviewed. As Shawn explains, “AI is a tool. You still have to do the work.”

The best time to identify and correct business weaknesses is before a lender, investor or buyer discovers them. Starting early gives management time to reduce risk, improve performance and strengthen the company’s value.

Learn more about Shawn Flynn:

• SVH Capital: [ADD SHAWN'S PREFERRED URL]
• The Silicon Valley Podcast: [ADD PODCAST URL]

Explore more business webinars, podcasts and videos:

• Modern Ideas for Business: https://modernideasforbusiness.com
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Modernideasbusiness

Subscribe, like and share this episode with a business owner or advisor who would benefit from the conversation.

Business owners have more financial, customer and operational data than ever, but many lack the time to turn it into useful decisions. Paul Duren speaks with Silicon Valley investment banker Shawn Flynn about how AI can help management analyze performance, explain variances, improve cash flow, evaluate customer-acquisition activities and prepare for financing or a future sale. They also discuss AI-assisted virtual data rooms, protecting confidential information and why every AI-generated analysis still requires human review.

Investment banker Shawn Flynn joins Paul Duren to explain how AI can help business owners understand performance, improve cash flow, reduce risk and build a more valuable, transaction-ready company.

00:00 Why more business data does not guarantee better decisions
00:55 Turning management reports into forward-looking insights
03:28 Why weak reporting affects transactions
05:40 AI hallucinations and the need for human review
06:53 Modeling margins, pricing and cash flow
08:14 Finding red and yellow flags before a transaction
09:07 Why business owners should start preparing early
10:16 Protecting confidential company information
12:11 AI-enabled virtual data rooms
14:51 Using AI as an associate and meeting-preparation tool
15:56 Customer acquisition, marketing and operational performance
17:38 Comparing performance with industry expectations
18:41 Finding contract and due-diligence issues
19:21 AI is a tool—you still have to do the work
20:12 Turning reports into action

A 30-year banking veteran turned AI strategist breaks down why AI adoption stalls — and the leadership fixes that actually work.

Most businesses have experimented with AI.

Far fewer have figured out how to turn AI into a strategic business asset.

In this episode of Modern Ideas for Business, Paul Duren sits down with Eric Goldman, CEO of AI Growth Advisors, to discuss why many organizations struggle to get meaningful results from AI—and what the most successful companies are doing differently.

Rather than focusing on prompts or the latest AI tools, Eric explains how business leaders can use AI to increase capacity, improve consistency, eliminate repetitive work, and scale their organizations without continually adding headcount.

During the conversation, you'll learn:

• Why using ChatGPT isn't the same as having an AI strategy

• How AI can create capacity instead of simply replacing tasks

• Why governance and business processes matter more than AI tools

• Common mistakes organizations make when implementing AI

• Practical examples from professional services firms, healthcare organizations, agencies, and consulting businesses

Whether you're a business owner, CEO, CFO, CMO, CIO, CRO, or professional advisor, this episode offers practical insights into moving beyond AI experimentation and building systems that deliver measurable business value.

Guest: Eric Goldman
CEO, AI Growth Advisors

Learn more about Eric and AI Growth Advisors:
https://www.aigrowthadvisors.com

For more business insights, webinars, and podcast episodes, visit:
https://modernideasforbusiness.com

ttention California business owners: Massive compliance changes are officially active. If your employee handbook hasn't been completely updated, your business could be facing significant legal and financial risk.

In this monthly interactive session of Modern Ideas for Business, moderator Dave sit downs with labor and employment law attorney Eileen Kennedy (Partner at Buchalter) and veteran HR professional Jamie Orendak (Owner of MyOHR). Together, they pull back the curtain on the critical California Labor Code amendments, including the expanded Qualifying Acts of Violence leave and stricter paid sick leave rolling rules.

Most importantly, they break down the groundbreaking PAGA (Private Attorneys General Act) reforms. Learn how taking proactive, "reasonable steps" right now can drastically reduce your default penalty exposure from 100% down to just 15% before a claim is ever filed. They also address the legality of time-rounding, uncompensated bag checks, and structural changes required for corporate arbitration agreements.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO:

• Access the presentation slides & webinar recording: modernideasforbusiness.com
• Sign up for our upcoming interactive forums: modernideasforbusiness.com

Key Topics Covered in This Session:

• Understanding the new qualifying acts of violence leave expansion and sick leave policy adjustments.
• Why the California Supreme Court is reviewing employee time-rounding and what it means for your timekeeping systems.
• The mechanics of PAGA lawsuits and how minor payroll stub errors multiply into millions in civil penalties.
• A strategic timeline to file a cure plan with the labor commissioner within 33 days of a PAGA notice.
• How to structure valid corporate arbitration agreements so they survive unconscionability challenges in court.
• Brand new 2025 mandates regarding job posting driver's license restrictions and workspace poster fonts.

Subscribe to Modern Ideas for Business for more expert insights: [Insert Channel Subscribe Link]

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Episode Summary: If you have invested money into AI subscriptions, team training, and new tools but still haven’t seen a measurable shift in your bottom line, you are not alone. Many business owners are left asking: If AI is so powerful, why hasn't it changed my business?

In Episode 9 of Modern Ideas for Business, host Paul Duren sits down with Eric Goldman, CEO of AI Growth Advisors, to unpack the real reason behind AI disappointment. The truth? AI doesn't fix broken workflows—it exposes them.

Eric shares real-world case studies of companies achieving radical operational transformation—including a real estate firm that gave its high-earning professionals two hours back per day, and a construction services company that leveraged automated workflows to reduce employee burnout and turnover by 40%. Whether you are a small to mid-sized business owner looking to grow without exponentially increasing headcount, or a fractional leader looking to build scalable systems for your clients, this episode provides the exact roadmap to move AI from the experimentation stage to a true strategic business asset.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The 3 main reasons most business owners are disappointed with current AI results.
• Why successful organizations treat AI as an operational transformation rather than a software purchase.
• How to define and build true "capacity" so you can double revenue without causing team panic.
• A look into how fractional CFOs, COOs, and CMOs can use repeatable AI models to take on more clients.
• The single, concrete action step a business owner can take this month to get measurable results.

About Our Guest: Eric Goldman is the CEO of AI Growth Advisors. He helps organizations create capacity, improve consistency, and scale operations by aligning technology directly with existing business challenges.

Connect & Learn More:

• Register for our live webinar on July 9th ("AI as a Business Asset: How to Build Capacity, Speed, and Consistency"): modernideasforbusiness.com
• Access our full library of business growth videos and resources: modernideasforbusiness.com
• Subscribe, rate, and review the Modern Ideas for Business podcast on your favorite streaming platform!