The Business RoundUp with Melissa Bill

What are the threats facing our communities that most people never see coming, and what can we do to prepare?

In this episode, Melissa Bill sits down with Tom Markert, author of the new best-selling book, Death Watch. Tom's career spans law enforcement, security, business, and public service. Drawing on his work with InfraGard, his new book, and his experience as a city commissioner in Delray Beach, Tom shares insights into the vulnerabilities facing our communities and critical infrastructure, and why these issues matter to all of us.

Tom discusses the lessons he's learned throughout his career, the realities of local government, and the importance of empowering everyday citizens to recognize risks and take action. He also explores emerging threats that communities, businesses, and public officials should be paying closer attention to.

From protecting critical infrastructure to building stronger, more resilient communities, this conversation offers a compelling look at the challenges ahead—and the role each of us can play in meeting them.

AI is changing the way businesses operate, but what does that transformation actually look like for small businesses and the lean teams serving them?

In this episode, we sit down with Jeremy Jarry, Chief Marketing Officer at Bookipi, to explore how AI is reshaping marketing, business operations, and the future of entrepreneurship.

Jeremy shares his perspective on which marketing functions AI is already transforming, why customer trust remains critical to adoption, and how emerging AI agents could help small-business owners automate workflows that once required entire teams.

We also dive into the evolving growth playbook: why more resources may no longer guarantee a competitive advantage, how lean teams can use AI to accelerate experimentation and customer acquisition, and what it takes to scale globally without sacrificing brand voice or customer trust.

Looking ahead, Jeremy discusses how AI-powered business platforms could fundamentally change what small businesses are capable of, and what the next generation of entrepreneurs might achieve with fewer resources and more intelligent tools.

In this conversation, we explore:

How AI is transforming marketing and business operations

What it takes to build trust in AI-powered tools

The practical future of AI agents for small businesses

Why speed, experimentation, and differentiation matter more than ever

How lean teams can scale with AI without losing their human touch

The future of entrepreneurship in an AI-powered world

If you're a marketer, founder, or small-business owner looking to understand how AI will change the way you work and grow, this episode is for you.

In a world of rapid innovation, disruption, and constant transformation, what does it take to lead with purpose, resilience, and authentic human connection?

In this episode, we sit down with Marc Kirshbaum, author of The Eleven Primal Spaces: Awakening Next-Level Leadership by Reconnecting to What Makes Us Human, to explore why the future of leadership may depend on reconnecting with the very qualities that make us human.

Drawing on anthropology, storytelling, and breakthrough leadership theory, Marc introduces his framework of eleven Primal Spaces, fundamental dimensions of the human experience that can help leaders navigate uncertainty, build trust, strengthen relationships, and create more meaningful impact.

We explore the power of awareness, belief, resilience, community, trust, and empathy, and discuss how leaders can use these principles to build stronger teams, foster deeper connections, and lead with greater authenticity and intention.

As technology continues to reshape the way we work and live, this conversation is a timely reminder that our greatest leadership advantage may be our humanity.

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In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Alaa Salem, Founder and CEO of Metabolic Supply Group, to discuss the evolving landscape of the compounding pharmacy industry, the challenges it faces, and what the future holds.

Dr. Salem shares how Metabolic Supply Group is raising the bar for compounding transparency by connecting wellness providers with vetted 503A and 503B compounding pharmacies through greater pricing visibility, compliance-focused processes, and centralized coordination.

We explore some of the industry's most pressing issues, the growing importance of transparency and accountability, and how innovation, regulatory changes, and evolving provider needs could shape the future of compounding.

Join us for an insightful conversation about where the compounding industry stands today, where it's headed, and what it will take to build a more transparent, trusted, and sustainable future.

What does it really take to prepare the next generation for a world of work that’s constantly changing?

In this episode, we sit down with Bill Shaw, Executive Vice President at Britebound, to explore how education can better connect students with meaningful career opportunities and the skills they need to thrive.

Drawing on his experience in higher education, biomedical innovation, and entrepreneurship, Bill shares his perspective on bridging the gap between classrooms and careers, building partnerships that drive real change, and creating environments that encourage innovation and exploration.

We also discuss how schools can introduce students to career possibilities without limiting their potential, why adaptability and an entrepreneurial mindset matter more than ever in the age of AI, and what it will take to transform the education-to-career pipeline.

Follow the show for more insightful conversations with leaders and innovators who are shaping the future of education, career readiness, and opportunity for the next generation.

Olympic champion Shannon Miller knows what it takes to face extraordinary challenges. But her battle with cancer revealed a different kind of challenge: the gap between medical treatment and the everyday support patients and their families need to navigate life during and after a diagnosis.

In this conversation, Shannon, Founder and CEO of Salto Health, shares how her cancer journey inspired her to rethink patient support and create a registry model that empowers people to ask for the specific help they need. She discusses the often-overlooked financial and emotional burdens of cancer, why asking for help can be so difficult, and how the discipline and resilience she developed as an elite athlete helped her through treatment.

Now 15 years cancer-free, Shannon reflects on survivorship, the importance of early detection, and the power of advocating for your own health. Her message is a reminder that cancer care must go beyond the clinic, and that sometimes, the most meaningful support begins with understanding what someone truly needs.

Follow us for more conversations with purpose-driven business leaders who are turning personal experiences into innovative solutions, advancing philanthropy, and creating lasting impact in the communities they serve.

As AI reshapes the future of work, what if the goal isn’t simply to achieve greater success, but to create more joy?

In this conversation, Kevin Surace, author of The Joy-Success Cycle and a pioneer in voice AI, challenges conventional thinking about automation, productivity, and fulfillment. Drawing on decades of experience building groundbreaking technology and earning nearly 100 patents, he explores why AI should replace joyless work, not human purpose and how curiosity, resilience, and joy can help us navigate a rapidly changing world.

Surace also shares the deeply personal experiences that reshaped his understanding of joy, including his wife’s struggle with alcohol addiction and the limits of trying to engineer solutions to life’s hardest challenges.

The result is a conversation about more than AI. It’s about rethinking success, finding meaning in uncertainty, and building a future where technology gives people more room to do the things that make us human.

f you enjoyed this conversation, follow us and subscribe for more thought-provoking discussions with the people shaping the future of technology, work, and what it means to live a fulfilling life.

What if the key to a better life isn’t avoiding difficulty, but deliberately choosing the right kind?

Joshua Waldron is an entrepreneur, author, and the mind behind Hard Is Fun—a philosophy built on the idea that the right challenges can make us stronger, more capable, and more fulfilled. At 15, Joshua was told he would never walk again. Years later, he destroyed his wheelchair. That experience helped shape a radically different relationship with difficulty, one that would influence his approach to business, personal growth, and life itself.

In this conversation, Joshua breaks down the concept of Productive Difficulty: how to distinguish challenges that help us grow from suffering that simply drains us, and how to make better decisions about what’s worth pursuing. We explore his journey building a precision manufacturing company during the 2008 recession, the science of hormesis and how stress can make us stronger, and the common thread connecting his pursuits in entrepreneurship, music, real estate, and writing.

We also get practical about how to break out of a comfortable but unfulfilling life and start choosing challenges that move us forward.

The end goal isn’t to make life harder. It’s to get better at choosing what’s hard and discovering what those challenges make possible.

Joshua’s book on the Hard Is Fun philosophy launches this September.

When does everyday stress become something more? And how do you know when it’s time to seek professional help?

In this interview, Dr. Jeffrey Ditzell, founder of Dr. Ditzell Psychiatry, breaks down some of the most common questions and misconceptions surrounding mental health and psychiatric care. From recognizing the signs of anxiety, depression, and ADHD to understanding when medication may be beneficial, he offers practical insights into navigating mental health with greater clarity and confidence.

We also explore the hidden reality of high-functioning mental illness, the impact of lifestyle factors like sleep, exercise, alcohol, and relationships, and the emerging developments shaping the future of psychiatry.

Whether you’re struggling yourself, supporting someone you care about, or simply looking to better understand your mental health, this conversation offers an important reminder: you don’t have to reach a breaking point to ask for help.

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Antons Davis spent more than 15 years in technology and product design, including a successful career at NVIDIA, before walking away from the traditional definition of success to become a coach and entrepreneur. In this conversation, Antons shares the pivotal moment with Jensen Huang that changed the trajectory of his life, what coaching taught him that technology couldn’t, and why he believes AI won’t make human connection less important, but more valuable. We explore why he created OSMO, the future of coaching, the role technology should play in deeply human work, and what we risk losing as intelligence becomes increasingly abundant.