My Manager Coach

Are your employees using AI? What platforms? Are they using your business accounts or one of their own?

AI is showing up at work whether leaders plan for it or not.

The real risk isn’t that employees are using it.

It’s that they’re using it without direction or structure, making companies vulnerable to what happens with your information.

In this episode, Jody continues the conversation with Andy McClure, CEO of Longview Marketing and fractional CMO, to unpack what managers and business owners need to decide right now about AI in the workplace.

Andy reframes AI in a way that makes the stakes immediately clear. Think of it as a powerful new employee that never sleeps, gets smarter over time, and touches marketing, operations, communication, and strategy. The question is not whether you use it, but who is training it, where it lives, and what it has access to.

You’ll hear why:

1. Letting employees “figure it out on their own” creates chaos, not innovation
2. Free tools come with hidden risks leaders often overlook
3. AI needs architecture, governance, and ownership just like any other function
4. The companies that win won’t just use AI, they’ll use it more intentionally than their competitors

Andy walks through what’s at stake when knowledge, prompts, brand voice, and strategy live outside your control, and why now is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build durable capability inside your business.

This episode is a call for leadership, not fear. AI doesn’t replace judgment, clarity, or accountability. It amplifies whatever already exists.

Andy is also the author of The In-House Growth Machine: Build Your Own AI-Powered Marketing System and Escape the Agency Trap, available on Amazon.

Website for Longview Marketing

Jazz Business Consulting Website

Have Your Managers Become Trained and Certified Link Here

Most companies believe their marketing problem is messaging.

What Andy McClure sees instead is something hiding in plain sight.

In this episode, Jody sits down with Andy McClure, CEO of Longview Marketing and fractional CMO, to explore a marketing approach that runs counter to speed, hype, and guesswork and has been enormously successful for many of the their clients.

Rather than starting with what a company wants to say, Andy starts with what customers are already saying. By intentionally listening to the people who keep coming back, companies uncover an advantage they often overlook because it feels too obvious or too familiar.

In this conversation, you’ll hear:

1. Why your best customers describe the experience, not the service
2. How leaders miss what’s working when they’re too close to the business
3. Why emotion still drives decisions, even in practical, technical industries
4. How strong marketing is often about revealing, not reinventing

Andy shares real-world examples of companies that improved their marketing simply by paying closer attention to what customers already valued most, closing the gap between promise and experience.

This discussion also quietly sets the stage for what’s coming in the next episode.

As AI and new tools accelerate how work gets done, the real risk isn’t the technology itself, it’s moving forward without clarity or intention.

That’s a conversation we’ll continue in the second part of the interview (The Hidden Risk of Letting Employees Figure Out AI on Their Own)

Andy is also the author of The In-House Growth Machine: Build Your Own AI-Powered Marketing System and Escape the Agency Trap, where he outlines how leaders can build sustainable marketing capability inside their organizations.

Andy is also the author of The In-House Growth Machine: Build Your Own AI-Powered Marketing System and Escape the Agency Trap, available on Amazon.

Website for Longview Marketing

Jazz Business Consulting Website

Get Your Managers Trained and Ready for Growth Link Here

This exciting discussion with Grammy-winning director Scotty Barnhart explores how vibe, trust, and humanity can transform any team into a high-performing ensemble. Scotty draws powerful parallels between music and management that every leader should hear. He shares behind-the-scenes (crazy) stories from his tours, while giving strategic insights to balancing innovation with legacy. His approach not only wins Grammys, it has revised the love of jazz for audiences all over the world. This interview is the true definition of "EDUtainment."

Show Links:

Watch the Video on YouTube:

Download the FREE Worksheet to Prepare for Your Compensation Conversation

The Count Basie Orchestra

Stream - Basie Swings The Blues

Our Sponsor: JAZZ BUSINESS CONSULTING

What if asking for a raise didn’t sound needy, but strategic?

In today’s episode, we talk with Paul Lefcourt — national leader, co-founder, and master negotiator — about how to turn compensation conversations into business proposals. If you've ever wondered how to make your manager drop their guard when asking for more, or how to stand out in annual reviews, this episode is packed with frameworks that work.

We cover:

1. The 4-part business plan that gets yeses — even in tight budget years
2. The #1 mistake people make when negotiating raises (spoiler: they make it about themselves)
3. Why Paul offered to co-fund a hire — and how that got him a raise and more
4. The math every employee should know before walking into a compensation conversation
5. What great leaders actually look for in a raise request

Plus, we unpack a free resource you can use to prep your own annual business proposal (link below).

Free Download: Business Plan Prep Outline → jazzbc.com/comp

Get Paid What You're Worth Webinar: Join us on Wednesday Jan 14th at 10:00am (PT) for a live workshop on negotiating your next comp package

USE CODE COMP100

Have questions? Email us at [email protected] or call us at 888-938-5299

You’ve seen the list. “Best Places to Work.” But your company isn’t on it... yet. So what gives?

In this episode, we break down the 5 disciplines that separate award-winning workplaces from the ones that miss the mark. Whether you’re leading a small team or an entire organization, these habits are the building blocks of a culture people want to stay in.

You’ll hear:

• Real examples from companies who continually make the list (and those who have crashed and burned)
• Wild stories - including a Zoom slap fight
• The exact habits shared by leaders who make “Best Places to Work” year after year

Key Takeaways:

• The single leadership habit that shows up every time
• Why habit stacking might change your mornings forever
• The hidden ROI of executive coaching (spoiler: it’s 788%)
• What happens when internal drama ruins external success

Mentioned:

• CD & Power
• RT Specialties
• Book: Atomic Habits by James Clear
• Organizational Vibe Assessment
• JAZZ Business Consulting

What happens when the leader of a world-class band starts to unravel? And what can managers learn from the way legendary musicians handle tension, trust, and breakdowns?

In this episode, Jody sits down with Greg Errico, founding drummer of Sly and the Family Stone and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee. Greg shares his behind-the-scenes perspective on what made the band thrive — and what managers can take from those lessons to improve collaboration, repair culture, and lead through messy transitions.

• What to do when your team’s Vibe is off
• How to lead through a leadership failure without losing your way
• The surprising power of pausing — and how taking a step back can move you forward
• How diversity and authenticity fueled one of the most iconic bands in music history

Links from the show:

The StickPeople on YouTube:

The Unity Music Foundation

Jazz Business Consulting

Sly Lives: The Burden of Black Genius

In this episode, Jody Bagno-Dill takes you inside an unforgettable experience: sitting in on a jazz recording session led by the legendary Jamie Davis and filled with additional Grammy-winning artists. As the musicians created magic in the studio, leadership gold was on full display, and the lessons are surprisingly transferable to the workplace.

From clarity to competency to chemistry, you'll hear how these world-class artists came together to create vibe...and how you can do the same with your team.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why clarity is the bedrock of performance (and what happens without it)
• How mastery in your craft opens the door for improvisation
• The silent power of emotional maturity in high-performing teams
• The unspoken leadership superpower: appreciation
• What cookies have to do with team creativity (yes, seriously)

Key Quote:

“People don’t show up for perfect notes—they show up for how the music makes them feel. It’s the same with your employees and customers.”

Links Mentioned In The Show

Organizational Vibe Assessment

Jazz Business Consulting

Jamie Davis

Scotty Barnhardt

Shelley Berg

Wycliffe Gordon

Leon Joyce

Doug Lawrence

Glenn Pearson

Roger Glenn

Carmen Bradford

Greg Errico

Trevor Ware

Woody Woodruff

Carlos Reyes

In today’s episode, Jody reveals the 5 biggest frustrations that most managers experience but rarely talk about. From disengaged teams to emotionally reactive employees and the silent epidemic of burnout, Jody gets real about what’s making managers want to quit.

If you’ve ever thought, “Why do I have to chase adults to do their jobs?” or felt invisible despite doing everything right, this episode will give you relief and tools to improve your experience

What You'll Learn:

• How to revive disengaged teams using a simple 15-second meeting trick
• The 7x communication rule you probably aren’t following
• How to inspire ownership and accountability without micromanaging
• What to say when giving feedback to avoid emotional shutdowns
• Why manager burnout is rising — and how to fight it with better persuasion skills and coaching

Resources Mentioned:

• Book: Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink
• Free Personal Vibe Assessment: jazzbc.com (Scroll to bottom of page for free access)
• Personal Vibe Training: One-hour online module
• Contact for Coaching: jazzbc.com/contact

Whether you’re leading a team of 3 or 300, this episode will equip you to lead with clarity, inspiration and most importantly, a whole lot less stress.

Did you know that 64% of B2B buyers say all vendor marketing content sounds the same?

If your messaging sounds like your competitors, you may already be invisible. In this episode, we unpack how to build a true differentiator in your marketing—one that not only sounds good but sparks actual word-of-mouth buzz.

Jody Bagno-Dill shares lessons learned over two decades in branding, consulting, and marketing—from turning coffee mugs into storytelling tools, to helping real estate agents own their unique angle. You'll hear about a wildly successful ad campaign targeted at women buyers, and why a simple act like sewing a hem for a dry cleaning customer could lead to raving reviews.

Key Highlights:

• Why “Results, Integrity, Professionalism” is RIP marketing
• A powerful exercise to test if your brand voice is truly unique
• How to make vague words like “best-in-class” disappear from your copy
• The four criteria of a remarkable differentiator
• Real-life marketing wins
• How to turn customer love into a full-blown word-of-mouth strategy

Resources Mentioned:

• Talk Triggers by Jay Baer & Daniel Lemin
• Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller
• Jazz Business Consulting: jazzbc.com

Want help uncovering what makes your brand unforgettable? Contact us at [email protected]

Listen in as Jody emphasizes the importance of understanding personal vibe styles to tailor sales presentations effectively. Jody outlines common mistakes salespeople make, such as inadequate research and failing to customize their approach. She introduces the concept of personal vibe styles—Performers, Producers, Arrangers, and Harmonizers—and explains how to identify and engage with each type.

The conversation also covers strategies for crafting compelling presentations and the significance of (nimble) emotional intelligence in sales.

SLIDE DECK CAN BE DOWNLOADED HERE

PERSONAL VIBE PROFILE QUIZ CAN BE FOUND HERE

Take-aways

• Sales is the solution to many business problems.
• Trust is established within the first seven seconds.
• Thorough research is essential before pitching.
• Tailoring materials to the client enhances engagement.
• Understanding Personal Vibe styles improves sales effectiveness.
• Performers seek recognition and connection.
• Producers prioritize results.
• Arrangers value detailed information and thoroughness.
• Harmonizers focus on the impact of change on people.
• Effective presentations should be customized for the audience.

Chapters

00:00 No Lazy Sales

00:55 Understanding Personal Vibe Styles

02:24 Common Mistakes in Sales Presentations

07:34 Identifying Personalities in Sales

13:05 Tailoring Presentations for Performers

19:10 Engaging with Performers and Producers

25:58 Connecting with Arrangers in Sales

30:07 Tailoring Presentations for Arrangers

33:23 Selling to Harmonizers

37:55 Building Relationships with Harmonizers

40:35 Secrets to Creating Effective Sales Presentations

45:30 Learning from Mistakes in Sales Presentations