The Covert Code

The Covert Code

By Anna CovertBusinessTechnology
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The Covert Code episodes

  • The U.S. SuperGrid: Powering America’s Clean Energy Future | Dr. Alexander “Sandy” MacDonald | EP 134
    Can America build a power grid for the future?
    Dr. Alexander “Sandy” MacDonald joins Anna Covert on The Covert Code Podcast to explore the U.S. SuperGrid: a proposed nationwide, underground electricity network designed to move renewable energy across America.
    Sandy is an award-winning atmospheric scientist, former director of NOAA’s Earth System Research Laboratory, inventor of Science On a Sphere, and CEO of American SuperGrid, LLC. After more than 40 years in federal service, he turned his attention to one of America's biggest infrastructure challenges: modernizing the electrical grid.
    In this episode, Sandy explains how a High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) SuperGrid could connect America's existing regional grids, transport wind and solar electricity over long distances, and help strengthen energy resilience.
    Anna and Sandy also discuss AI's growing electricity requirements, the business opportunities created by a national energy market, underground transmission, extreme weather, solar storms, grid security and the challenges of transforming an energy system built for a different era.
    WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
    • What an HVDC SuperGrid is and how it would work
    • Why Sandy compares it to the Interstate Highway System
    • How wind and solar energy could be shared nationwide
    • Why the Great Plains are central to his vision
    • How the existing AC grid and a new DC network could work together
    • What a national electricity market could mean for energy producers
    • Why underground transmission matters for grid resilience
    • How extreme weather and solar storms threaten electrical infrastructure
    • Why AI makes grid security increasingly important
    • What Sandy's NOAA research revealed about renewable electricity
    ABOUT DR. SANDY MACDONALD
    Dr. Alexander “Sandy” MacDonald is a former director of NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory and inventor of NOAA's Science On a Sphere. His research includes the 2016 Nature Climate Change paper Future cost-competitive electricity systems and their impact on US CO₂ emissions.
    LEARN MORE
    American SuperGrid: https://americansupergrid.com/
    North American Supergrid: https://northamericansupergrid.org/
    NOAA Science On a Sphere: https://sos.noaa.gov/
    GET THE COVERT CODE
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    LISTEN ON ALL PLATFORMS
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    FOLLOW THE COVERT CODE
    Website: https://thecovertcode.com/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/covertcodeofficial
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecovertcode
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/covert-code-official/
    Anna Covert: https://annacovert.com/
    Subscribe for conversations with the innovators and leaders shaping our future.
    Aloha, and see you in the pixels.
    #TheCovertCode #SandyMacDonald #SuperGrid #RenewableEnergy #HVDC
    58 min
  • Beyond Tetris: Henk Rogers’ Vision for the Future, Beyond Earth and Beyond | Covert Code Podcast | EP 133
    What happens when the entrepreneur who helped bring Tetris to the world decides to take on climate change, renewable energy and the future of humanity?
    On this episode of The Covert Code, Anna Covert welcomes Henk Rogers, the entrepreneur and co-founder of The Tetris Company whose work now extends far beyond the gaming industry.
    Following a life-changing medical emergency in 2005, Henk began reconsidering what he wanted to accomplish with the rest of his life. That experience led him to establish Blue Planet Foundation and pursue a mission to end the use of carbon-based fuels, starting in Hawaii.
    His work helped build support for Hawaii's landmark commitment to achieve 100% renewable electricity by 2045. Today, his initiatives extend into energy storage, entrepreneurship, international renewable energy collaboration and even the technologies needed to sustain human life beyond Earth.
    In this conversation, Anna and Henk explore Hawaii's energy future, sodium batteries and supercapacitors, hydrogen production, virtual power plants, Mars simulation missions, artificial intelligence and Henk's upcoming Action App.
    **IN THIS EPISODE**
    00:00 – Introduction: Beyond Tetris
    02:21 – The life-changing experience that gave Henk a new mission
    04:07 – Why saving coral reefs became personal
    05:58 – How Hawaii's renewable energy movement gained momentum
    10:30 – Hawaii's progress toward renewable electricity
    15:07 – From gaming to battery technology
    18:01 – The potential of sodium batteries
    19:18 – Supercapacitors and managing peak electricity demand
    23:59 – Long-term storage and producing hydrogen
    28:25 – Virtual power plants and distributed energy
    32:32 – Taking Hawaii's renewable energy experience worldwide
    38:07 – What space exploration can teach us about sustainability
    44:22 – Gamifying climate action with the Action App
    52:48 – The opportunities and risks of artificial intelligence
    55:24 – Henk's mission and the next generation
    01:01:27 – Could Tetris become a form of meditation?
    **ABOUT HENK ROGERS**
    Henk Rogers is an entrepreneur known for his role in bringing Tetris to a global audience. He founded Blue Planet Foundation and Blue Planet Energy, co-founded Blue Startups, and established Blue Planet Alliance to extend renewable energy initiatives beyond Hawaii.
    His work also includes space exploration and research into sustainable living beyond Earth.
    **CONNECT WITH HENK**
    Blue Planet Foundation: https://blueplanetfoundation.org/
    Blue Planet Alliance: https://blueplanetalliance.org/
    Blue Planet Energy: https://blueplanetenergy.com/
    **ABOUT THE COVERT CODE**
    Hosted by Anna Covert, The Covert Code explores the intersection of technology, entrepreneurship, innovation and the people creating meaningful change.
    Website: https://thecovertcode.com/
    Anna Covert: https://annacovert.com/
    **READ ANNA'S BOOK**
    *The Covert Code: Mastering the Art of Digital Marketing*
    Amazon: https://rb.gy/wrht8
    Barnes & Noble: https://rb.gy/vwev0a
    Target: https://rb.gy/jhpxri
    **LISTEN ON YOUR FAVORITE PLATFORM**
    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0UcnL4g4J2DckqMpZg4DdB
    Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-covert-code/id1733326615
    Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d15bb709-a4df-43bb-9284-9e479c8574a7/the-covert-code
    iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-covert-code-269144900/
    Subscribe for more conversations with entrepreneurs, scientists and innovators shaping our future.
    #HenkRogers #TheCovertCode #Tetris #RenewableEnergy #BluePlanet #CleanEnergy #EnergyStorage #Sustainability #Innovation
    58 min
  • Can America Power the AI Revolution? | Chip Comins | The Covert Code Podcast | Ep 132
    Can America Power the AI Revolution? The Energy Crisis Behind Our Technology Boom
    Artificial intelligence is transforming the world—but behind every AI model, data center and new technology is an enormous and rapidly growing need for electricity.
    Can America's power grid keep up? The stakes are immense.
    This week on The Covert Code Podcast, Anna Covert sits down with Chip Comins, Founder, Chairman & CEO of the American Renewable Energy Institute (AREI), Founder of AREDAY.
    In this episode, we examine one of the biggest infrastructure questions behind the AI revolution: where will all the electricity come from?
    Chip explains his vision for an underground High Voltage Direct Current—or HVDC—SuperGrid stretching coast to coast and border to border across the United States.
    Rather than replacing America's existing grid, the proposed system would create a transmission overlay designed to move electricity efficiently across long distances.
    We also explore data centers, renewable energy, battery storage, grid resilience, water demand and what it could take to modernize America's energy system.
    We also discuss Hawaii's transition toward 100% renewable energy by 2045, virtual power plants and distributed energy.
    WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
    • Why AI and data centers are creating new electricity demand
    • What High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) means
    • How an HVDC SuperGrid differs from today's power infrastructure
    • Why Chip believes the proposed SuperGrid should be underground
    • How renewable electricity could move between regions
    • Why America's regional grids create transmission challenges
    • How the SuperGrid could work alongside existing infrastructure
    • How data centers affect electricity and water demand
    • The relationship between EVs, electrification and grid demand
    • How Hawaii's renewable-energy transition offers lessons
    CONNECT WITH CHIP COMINS
    American Energy Initiative:
    https://americanenergyinitiative.net/
    American Renewable Energy Institute / AREDAY:
    https://areday.net/
    HVDC SuperGrid:
    https://areday.net/hvdc-supergrid/
    LinkedIn:
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/chipcomins
    American Spirit Productions:
    https://americanspiritproductions.com/
    ABOUT CHIP COMINS
    Chip Comins is Chairman of the American Energy Initiative's HVDC SuperGrid effort. His work spans renewable energy, clean technology, filmmaking and public engagement.
    GET THE BOOK: THE COVERT CODE
    The Covert Code – Mastering the Art of Digital Marketing
    Amazon: https://rb.gy/wrht8
    Barnes & Noble: https://rb.gy/vwev0a
    Target: https://rb.gy/jhpxri
    LISTEN ON ALL PLATFORMS
    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0UcnL4g4J2DckqMpZg4DdB
    Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-covert-code/id1733326615
    Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d15bb709-a4df-43bb-9284-9e479c8574a7/the-covert-code
    iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-covert-code-269144900/
    FOLLOW THE COVERT CODE
    Website: https://thecovertcode.com/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/covertcodeofficial
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecovertcode
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/covert-code-official/
    ABOUT ANNA COVERT
    Anna Covert is the host of The Covert Code Podcast and author of The Covert Code – Mastering the Art of Digital Marketing.
    Anna Covert: https://annacovert.com/
    Covert Communication: https://covertcommunication.com/
    Reactium: https://reactium.io/
    #TheCovertCode #ChipComins #ArtificialIntelligence #RenewableEnergy #HVDC
    54 min
  • Breaking Through the Invisible Ceiling w/ Brett Baughman | The Covert Code | EP 131
    Breaking Through the Invisible Ceiling: What's Really Holding You Back
    This week on The Covert Code Podcast, I'm joined by Brett Baughman, executive coach, peak-performance strategist and strategic advisor who has spent more than two decades helping executives, entrepreneurs and high performers improve leadership, performance and personal fulfillment.
    Have you ever reached a point where you're successful—but somehow still feel stuck?
    Brett calls it the Invisible Ceiling.
    Sometimes the habits, strategies and beliefs that helped us reach one level of success become the exact things preventing us from reaching the next.
    In this episode, Brett and I explore how unconscious patterns shape our businesses and lives, why successful leaders can become trapped by their own expertise, and how Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) can help us recognize the internal stories driving our behavior.
    We also get into something especially relevant right now: AI.
    Brett shares how he trains AI to challenge his thinking rather than simply agree with him, why leaders need to be careful about allowing AI to become an echo chamber, and why rushing to automate everything may create new problems instead of solving existing ones.
    But this conversation goes much deeper than business. We talk about presence, breathwork, balance, service, fulfillment and an important question every successful person eventually has to answer:
    Who are you without your business?
    WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
    • What Brett means by the “Invisible Ceiling”
    • How limiting beliefs and past experiences influence present decisions
    • What NLP is and how Brett uses it with high performers
    • Why past success can actually become a limitation
    • Why executives can unknowingly become organizational bottlenecks
    • The relationship between planning, delegation and training
    • Why micromanagement often comes back to trust
    • How Brett trains AI not to become a “yes man”
    • Why AI can reinforce your existing beliefs
    • How to use AI as a researcher and collaborator without replacing your voice
    • Why companies shouldn't automate simply because they can
    • Why efficiency sometimes starts by removing instead of adding
    • How to identify responsibilities you should delegate
    • Why leaders should ask, “Who am I without the business?”
    • How breathwork can interrupt stress and reactive thinking
    • Why thinking bigger requires imagining beyond what you already know
    • Why service and contribution can create greater fulfillment
    CONNECT WITH BRETT BAUGHMAN
    Website:
    https://www.brettbaughman.com/
    LinkedIn:
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/brettbaughman/
    Instagram:
    https://www.instagram.com/bybrettbaughman/
    YouTube:
    https://www.youtube.com/iempoweryou
    X / Twitter:
    https://twitter.com/brettbaughman
    EXPLORE BRETT'S WORK
    The Invisible Ceiling:
    https://www.brettbaughman.com/the-invisible-ceiling-why-your-success-is-limiting-your-next-level/
    BRETT'S BOOK
    Strategies for Success
    Brett Baughman & Chanel Ware
    Digital Edition:
    https://www.brettbaughman.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/S4S-E-Book.pdf
    GET THE BOOK: THE COVERT CODE
    The Covert Code – Mastering the Art of Digital Marketing
    Amazon: https://rb.gy/wrht8
    Barnes & Noble: https://rb.gy/vwev0a
    Target: https://rb.gy/jhpxri
    LISTEN ON ALL PLATFORMS
    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0UcnL4g4J2DckqMpZg4DdB
    Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-covert-code/id1733326615
    Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d15bb709-a4df-43bb-9284-9e479c8574a7/the-covert-code
    iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-covert-code-269144900/
    FOLLOW THE COVERT CODE
    Website: https://thecovertcode.com/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/covertcodeofficial
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecovertcode
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/covert-code-official/
    44 min
  • Why Your Relationships Are Your Greatest Business Asset w/ Jaclyn Strominger | Covert Code | EP 130
    This week on The Covert Code Podcast, the topic is:
    Why Your Relationships Are Your Greatest Business Asset
    My special guest is Jaclyn Strominger, Success Strategist, creator of the LEAP Framework and Relationship Capital Formula, co-author of Charting True North, and host of the Unstoppable Success Podcast.
    Jaclyn built businesses for years through one thing she seemed to do naturally: relationships.
    Then she moved across the country from Massachusetts to Reno, Nevada, knowing almost no one.
    Suddenly, the network she had spent years building was thousands of miles away.
    Instead of allowing that to stop her, Jaclyn turned relationship-building into a deliberate strategy. Within days of arriving in Reno, she began attending events, meeting people and intentionally following up. Her business took off, and she realized something important:
    Relationship-building isn't simply a personality trait.
    It's a skill.
    In this episode, Jaclyn and I talk about how to move beyond collecting contacts and start building what she calls Relationship Capital.
    Her formula is simple:
    Relationship Capital = People × Action
    We discuss how to follow up after networking events, why listening is one of the most underrated business skills, how to provide value without immediately trying to make a sale, when to stop pursuing an unresponsive contact, and why long-term relationships often create opportunities years after the first meeting.
    Jaclyn also walks us through her LEAP Framework: Leveraging Communication, Energy, Action and Performance, and why leaders should continually revisit their vision, mission, values and the people surrounding them.
    CONNECT WITH JACLYN STROMINGER
    Official Website:
    https://jaclynstrominger.com/
    LinkedIn:
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstrominger/
    Instagram:
    https://www.instagram.com/jaclynstrominger/
    Facebook:
    https://www.facebook.com/JaclynStrominger
    Jaclyn's current platform focuses on helping CEOs and entrepreneurs build relationship capital, break plateaus and create greater business momentum.
    LISTEN TO UNSTOPPABLE SUCCESS
    Unstoppable Success Podcast:
    https://podcast.jaclynstrominger.com/
    GET THE BOOK: CHARTING TRUE NORTH
    Charting True North: The CEO's Guide to Authentistic Leadership
    By Jaclyn Strominger and Damian Andrews
    Amazon:
    https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Charting+True+North+Jaclyn+Strominger
    GET THE BOOK: THE COVERT CODE
    The Covert Code – Mastering the Art of Digital Marketing
    Amazon:
    https://rb.gy/wrht8
    Barnes & Noble:
    https://rb.gy/vwev0a
    Target:
    https://rb.gy/jhpxri
    LISTEN ON ALL PLATFORMS
    Spotify:
    https://open.spotify.com/show/0UcnL4g4J2DckqMpZg4DdB
    Apple Podcasts:
    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-covert-code/id1733326615
    Amazon Music:
    https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d15bb709-a4df-43bb-9284-9e479c8574a7/the-covert-code
    iHeartRadio:
    https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-covert-code-269144900/
    YouTube Music:
    https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCSU2Anqu1_yzb_D6IFd7i_Q
    FOLLOW THE COVERT CODE
    Website:
    https://thecovertcode.com/
    Instagram:
    https://www.instagram.com/covertcodeofficial
    Facebook:
    https://www.facebook.com/thecovertcode
    LinkedIn:
    https://www.linkedin.com/company/covert-code-official/
    ABOUT HOST ANNA COVERT
    Anna Covert is the host of The Covert Code Podcast and author of The Covert Code – Mastering the Art of Digital Marketing and The Solar Coaster. With more than two decades of experience in digital marketing and business strategy, Anna has worked with top-tier companies including Microsoft, Apple and IBM and leads Covert Communication, Hawaii's largest digital agency.
    ANNA'S WEBSITES
    The Covert Code:
    https://thecovertcode.com/
    Anna Covert:
    https://annacovert.com/
    Covert Communication:
    https://covertcommunication.com/
    Affiliate Disclosure: Some links included may be affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase through them, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
    51 min
  • AI Is Changing Lending. But Can We Trust It? | Tamara Laine | Covert Code | EP 129
    This week on The Covert Code Podcast, the topic is:
    AI Is Changing Lending. But Can We Trust It?
    My special guest is Tamara Laine, Founder & CEO of MPWR, Emmy Award-winning journalist, business strategist, fractional executive, and co-host of What The Frac?
    Artificial intelligence is moving rapidly into financial services.
    But when AI is involved in decisions that can determine whether someone can buy a home, access capital, or grow a business, speed and efficiency cannot be the only goals.
    We also need trust.
    Tamara founded MPWR to address a growing disconnect between traditional lending models and today's workforce.
    Millions of people now earn income through entrepreneurship, freelancing, fractional leadership, gig work, multiple jobs, and the creator economy. Yet many lending systems still evaluate borrowers using models built around traditional W-2 employment and static credit histories.
    MPWR is building policy-bound AI infrastructure that helps lenders organize and analyze more complete borrower information while deliberately keeping human judgment in the loop.
    In this episode, Tamara and I discuss how AI can help financial institutions understand modern borrowers more accurately, why some data should never be exposed to AI systems, how regulation can actually encourage innovation, and why AI should assist consequential financial decisions rather than make them independently.
    We also get into a much larger issue: What happens to critical thinking when people begin outsourcing too much of their reasoning to technology?
    ABOUT TAMARA LAINE
    Tamara Laine is the Founder & CEO of MPWR, a fintech company building policy-bound AI infrastructure for regulated lending.
    Her career began in documentary production and investigative journalism, where she covered subjects including political corruption and ethical technology. Her work eventually brought her into the world of AI and helped shape her perspective on responsible innovation.
    Today, Tamara works at the intersection of finance, artificial intelligence, communications and business growth.
    MPWR's mission is particularly focused on borrowers whose financial lives do not fit neatly inside traditional lending models, including entrepreneurs, gig workers, fractional executives, creators and other members of the growing nontraditional workforce.
    CONNECT WITH TAMARA LAINE
    LinkedIn:
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamaralaine/
    LEARN MORE ABOUT MPWR
    MPWR:
    https://mpwrai.com/
    MPWR LinkedIn:
    https://www.linkedin.com/company/mpwrai/
    LISTEN TO TAMARA'S PODCAST
    What The Frac?
    https://whatthefracshow.com/
    GET THE BOOK: THE COVERT CODE
    The Covert Code – Mastering the Art of Digital Marketing
    Amazon:
    https://rb.gy/wrht8
    Barnes & Noble:
    https://rb.gy/vwev0a
    Target:
    https://rb.gy/jhpxri
    LISTEN TO THE COVERT CODE
    Spotify:
    https://open.spotify.com/show/0UcnL4g4J2DckqMpZg4DdB
    Apple Podcasts:
    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-covert-code/id1733326615
    Amazon Music:
    https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d15bb709-a4df-43bb-9284-9e479c8574a7/the-covert-code
    iHeartRadio:
    https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-covert-code-269144900/
    YouTube Music:
    https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCSU2Anqu1_yzb_D6IFd7i_Q
    FOLLOW THE COVERT CODE
    Website:
    https://thecovertcode.com/
    Instagram:
    https://www.instagram.com/covertcodeofficial
    Facebook:
    https://www.facebook.com/thecovertcode
    LinkedIn:
    https://www.linkedin.com/company/covert-code-official/
    ANNA'S WEBSITES
    The Covert Code:
    https://thecovertcode.com/
    Anna Covert:
    https://annacovert.com/
    Covert Communication:
    https://covertcommunication.com/
    Reactium:
    https://reactium.io/
    Affiliate Disclosure: Some links included may be affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase through them, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
    37 min
  • What Your Website Data Isn't Telling You | Philippa Gamse | EP 128
    This week on The Covert Code Podcast, the topic is:
    What Your Website Data Isn't Telling You
    My special guest is Philippa Gamse, founder of Websites That Win International, digital marketing and analytics strategist, international speaker, educator, and author of Website Wealth: A Business Leader's Guide to Driving Real Value from Your Analytics.
    Your website is collecting data every day.
    But are you looking at the information that can actually help you make better business decisions?
    Philippa has spent decades working in digital marketing and analytics and has reviewed more than 5,000 websites. Her approach isn't about drowning business leaders in reports, charts, or technical terminology. It's about finding the patterns hidden inside website behavior and turning those insights into action.
    In this episode, Anna and Philippa dig into GA4, website analytics, Microsoft Clarity, customer behavior, conversion optimization, calls to action, paid advertising, CRM data, website redesigns, segmentation, and why more data doesn't necessarily mean better decisions.
    WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
    • Why your analytics should not be your ultimate tool of record
    • Why your CRM and website analytics may never perfectly match
    • What GA4 changed about how we measure website engagement
    • Why business owners shouldn't obsess over discrepancies between platforms
    • How a bad website experience can make a good advertising campaign look like it's failing
    • Why long forms can destroy otherwise successful campaigns
    • How Microsoft Clarity can uncover dead clicks and website frustration
    • Why many visitors never scroll very far down a webpage
    CONNECT WITH PHILIPPA GAMSE
    Website:
    https://websitesthatwin.com/
    LinkedIn:
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/philippagamse/
    GET THE BOOK: WEBSITE WEALTH
    Website Wealth: A Business Leader's Guide to Driving Real Value from Your Analytics
    Official Book Page:
    https://websitesthatwin.com/website-wealth-virtual-book/
    Amazon:
    https://amzn.to/4aKgJSN
    Google Books:
    https://books.google.com/books/about/Website_Wealth.html?id=u3x30QEACAAJ
    Website Wealth is designed for business leaders rather than analytics technicians. Philippa focuses on understanding what website data means for business strategy, including where value is being created, where it's being lost, and what decisions the evidence actually supports.
    GET THE BOOK: THE COVERT CODE
    The Covert Code – Mastering the Art of Digital Marketing
    Amazon:
    https://rb.gy/wrht8
    Barnes & Noble:
    https://rb.gy/vwev0a
    Target:
    https://rb.gy/jhpxri
    LISTEN ON ALL PLATFORMS:
    Spotify:
    https://open.spotify.com/show/0UcnL4g4J2DckqMpZg4DdB
    Apple Podcasts:
    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-covert-code/id1733326615
    Amazon Music:
    https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d15bb709-a4df-43bb-9284-9e479c8574a7/the-covert-code
    iHeart Radio:
    https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-covert-code-269144900/
    YouTube Music:
    https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCSU2Anqu1_yzb_D6IFd7i_Q
    FOLLOW THE COVERT CODE:
    Website:
    https://thecovertcode.com/
    Instagram:
    https://www.instagram.com/covertcodeofficial
    Facebook:
    https://www.facebook.com/thecovertcode
    LinkedIn:
    https://www.linkedin.com/company/covert-code-official/
    ABOUT HOST ANNA COVERT
    Anna Covert is the host of The Covert Code Podcast and author of The Covert Code – Mastering the Art of Digital Marketing and The Solar Coaster. With over two decades of experience in digital marketing and business strategy, Anna has worked with top-tier companies like Microsoft, Apple, and IBM and leads Covert Communication, Hawaii's largest digital agency.
    ANNA'S WEBSITES:
    The Covert Code:
    https://thecovertcode.com/
    Anna Covert:
    https://annacovert.com/
    Covert Communication:
    https://covertcommunication.com/
    Reactium:
    https://reactium.io/
    Affiliate Disclosure: Some links included may be affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase through them, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
    48 min
  • How to Be Happier While Achieving More | Dr. Simin Cai | EP 127
    This week on The Covert Code Podcast, the topic is:
    Cracking the Code to Happiness, Purpose and Achievement
    My special guest is Dr. Simin Cai, physicist, entrepreneur, Founder, President & CEO of Go!Foton, and author of Making Sense of Life: Develop Your Own Theory for Happiness and Achievement.
    What if life could be approached the same way a scientist approaches an experiment?
    After more than three decades as an innovator, entrepreneur, and business leader, Dr. Cai began applying the analytical thinking he learned through physics to an even bigger question: How do we make sense of life?
    His answer isn't another universal formula telling everyone what should make them happy.
    In this episode, Anna and Dr. Cai discuss happiness, achievement, purpose, personal values, scientific thinking, self-awareness, entrepreneurship, experience, decision-making, and why success and happiness do not have to compete with one another.
    WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
    • Why happiness and achievement don't have to be competing goals
    • How Dr. Cai applies principles from physics to everyday life
    • What it means to develop your own “theory of life”
    • The difference between the world as it is and the world as we experience it
    • How your knowledge and values shape your individual reality
    • Why you may not actually know what makes you happy
    • A simple way to identify what you genuinely value
    • Why examining how you spend your free time can reveal what matters to you
    • How experiences can be treated like experiments
    • Why reflection helps us make better future decisions
    • How to learn from mistakes without becoming trapped in regret
    • Why every personal theory needs to evolve when circumstances change
    • How identifying constraints can make difficult decisions easier
    • Why your definition of happiness does not need to match anyone else's
    • How greater self-awareness can help you achieve more while enjoying the journey
    CONNECT WITH DR. SIMIN CAI
    Official Website:
    https://drsimincai.com/
    About Dr. Simin Cai:
    https://drsimincai.com/about/
    Making Sense of Life:
    https://drsimincai.com/the-book/
    LinkedIn:
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/simin-cai-us/
    Forbes Books Author Profile:
    https://books.forbes.com/authors/simin-cai/
    Go!Foton:
    https://www.gofoton.com/
    Go!Foton Leadership:
    https://www.gofoton.com/leadership
    GET THE BOOK: MAKING SENSE OF LIFE
    Making Sense of Life: Develop Your Own Theory for Happiness and Achievement
    Official Book Site:
    https://drsimincai.com/the-book/
    Forbes Books:
    https://books.forbes.com/books/making-sense-of-life/
    Amazon:
    https://www.amazon.com/Making-Sense-Life-Happiness-Achievement/dp/B0GQDDN454
    Target:
    https://www.target.com/p/-/A-1010723954
    Simon & Schuster:
    https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Making-Sense-of-Life/Simin-Cai/9798887505589
    GET THE BOOK: THE COVERT CODE
    The Covert Code – Mastering the Art of Digital Marketing
    Amazon:
    https://rb.gy/wrht8
    Barnes & Noble:
    https://rb.gy/vwev0a
    Target:
    https://rb.gy/jhpxri
    LISTEN ON ALL PLATFORMS
    Spotify:
    https://open.spotify.com/show/0UcnL4g4J2DckqMpZg4DdB
    Apple Podcasts:
    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-covert-code/id1733326615
    Amazon Music:
    https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d15bb709-a4df-43bb-9284-9e479c8574a7/the-covert-code
    iHeart Radio:
    https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-covert-code-269144900/
    YouTube Music:
    https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCSU2Anqu1_yzb_D6IFd7i_Q
    FOLLOW THE COVERT CODE
    Website:
    https://thecovertcode.com/
    Instagram:
    https://www.instagram.com/covertcodeofficial
    Facebook:
    https://www.facebook.com/thecovertcode
    LinkedIn:
    https://www.linkedin.com/company/covert-code-official/
    ABOUT HOST ANNA COVERT
    Anna Covert is the host of The Covert Code Podcast and author of The Covert Code – Mastering the Art of Digital Marketing and The Solar Coaster. With more than two decades of experience in digital marketing and business strategy, Anna has worked with top-tier companies including Microsoft, Apple, and IBM and leads Covert Co
    36 min
  • The Necessary Goodbye: How Great Leaders Make Tough Decisions W/ Peter D. Banko | EP 126
    This week on The Covert Code Podcast, the topic is:
    The Necessary Goodbye: How Great Leaders Make Tough Decisions
    My special guest is Peter D. Banko, President & CEO of Baystate Health and author of The Necessary Goodbye: How Great Leaders Fire with Clarity, Confidence, and Compassion.
    Leadership is often associated with building teams, developing people, inspiring employees, and creating a strong culture.
    But leadership also requires making decisions most people would rather avoid.
    Sometimes that means acknowledging that an employee is no longer right for the role, the team, or the organization.
    Peter has spent decades leading complex healthcare organizations and believes that the best leaders do everything possible to hire well, develop people, communicate clearly, and solve performance problems before termination becomes necessary. But when the relationship is no longer working, delaying the decision can ultimately hurt the employee, the team, customers, and the organization.
    In this episode, Anna and Peter discuss employee engagement, underperformance, workplace culture, difficult conversations, layoffs, hiring, AI, leadership accountability, Jungian workplace archetypes, and how to preserve trust when a necessary goodbye must happen.
    WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
    • Why firing should be the last step, not the first
    • Why leaders often wait too long to make difficult people decisions
    • How to determine whether an employee situation can still be fixed
    • Why clear communication is ultimately kinder than ambiguity
    • How regular one-on-one meetings can prevent termination surprises
    • Why annual performance reviews are not enough
    • How Peter uses Jungian archetypes to better understand workplace behavior
    • The right way to conduct a termination conversation
    • Why the direct manager—not HR—should deliver the message
    • Why having an HR partner in the room matters
    • How leaders can preserve trust after layoffs or restructuring
    • Why the way departing employees are treated affects everyone who stays
    • How AI is changing healthcare, hiring, and workforce management
    • Why human connection still matters in an increasingly digital workplace
    • How leaders can distinguish caring from simply being nice
    CONNECT WITH PETER D. BANKO
    Peter D. Banko Website:
    https://peterdbanko.com/
    LinkedIn:
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-d-banko-97815a3a6/
    Baystate Health Leadership:
    https://www.baystatehealth.org/about-us/leadership
    Forbes Books Author Profile:
    https://books.forbes.com/authors/peter-d-banko/
    GET THE BOOK: THE NECESSARY GOODBYE
    The Necessary Goodbye: How Great Leaders Fire with Clarity, Confidence, and Compassion
    Forbes Books:
    https://books.forbes.com/books/the-necessary-goodbye/
    Barnes & Noble:
    https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-necessary-goodbye-peter-d-banko/1148785043
    Target:
    https://www.target.com/p/-/A-1007557311
    Simon & Schuster:
    https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Necessary-Goodbye/Peter-D-Banko/9798887508122
    GET THE BOOK: THE COVERT CODE
    The Covert Code – Mastering the Art of Digital Marketing
    Amazon:
    https://rb.gy/wrht8
    Barnes & Noble:
    https://rb.gy/vwev0a
    Target:
    https://rb.gy/jhpxri
    LISTEN ON ALL PLATFORMS
    Spotify:
    https://open.spotify.com/show/0UcnL4g4J2DckqMpZg4DdB
    Apple Podcasts:
    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-covert-code/id1733326615
    Amazon Music:
    https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d15bb709-a4df-43bb-9284-9e479c8574a7/the-covert-code
    iHeart Radio:
    https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-covert-code-269144900/
    YouTube Music:
    https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCSU2Anqu1_yzb_D6IFd7i_Q
    47 min
  • Beyond the Deal: What Every CEO Needs to Know With Tyrone R. Johnson | EP 125
    This week on The Covert Code Podcast, the topic is:
    Beyond the Deal: What Every CEO Needs to Know About Private Equity Success
    My special guest is Tyrone R. Johnson, CEO of Cascade Residential Services, Operating Partner at Thrive Capital, and author of Beyond the Deal: A CEO's Guide to Private Equity Success.
    Selling a business is often viewed as the finish line, but in reality, it's only the beginning of a completely different journey.
    For many founders and CEOs, private equity introduces new expectations, new leadership challenges, new financial metrics, and a completely different operating environment. Tyrone has spent more than two decades helping companies navigate that transition while building scalable organizations that create long-term value.
    In this episode, Anna and Tyrone discuss what really happens after the acquisition closes, why people and processes determine success, how AI is changing private equity, and what founders should know before bringing on institutional investors.
    WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
    • What really happens after a private equity acquisition closes
    • Why many founders struggle after selling their businesses
    • How private equity firms evaluate leadership teams
    • The importance of systems, technology, and scalable processes
    • Why company culture and values matter more than ever
    • How AI is changing due diligence and investment decisions
    • Common mistakes companies make before seeking investment
    • What investors look for during acquisitions
    • How to prepare your business for long-term growth
    • Why execution—not just strategy—creates enterprise value
    CONNECT WITH TYRONE R. JOHNSON
    Website: https://tyronerjohnson.com
    LinkedIn:
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyrone-r-johnson/
    Cascade Residential Services:
    https://www.cascaderesidentialservices.com/
    Thrive Capital:
    https://www.thrivecap.com/
    Buy Beyond the Deal: A CEO's Guide to Private Equity Success:
    https://books.forbes.com/books/beyond-the-deal/
    GET THE BOOK
    The Covert Code: Mastering the Art of Digital Marketing
    Amazon:
    https://rb.gy/wrht8
    Barnes & Noble:
    https://rb.gy/vwev0a
    Target:
    https://rb.gy/jhpxri
    LISTEN TO THE COVERT CODE
    Spotify
    https://open.spotify.com/show/0UcnL4g4J2DckqMpZg4DdB
    Apple Podcasts
    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-covert-code/id1733326615
    Amazon Music
    https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d15bb709-a4df-43bb-9284-9e479c8574a7/the-covert-code
    iHeart Radio
    https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-covert-code-269144900/
    YouTube Music
    https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCSU2Anqu1_yzb_D6IFd7i_Q
    FOLLOW THE COVERT CODE
    Website
    https://thecovertcode.com/
    Instagram
    https://www.instagram.com/covertcodeofficial
    Facebook
    https://www.facebook.com/thecovertcode
    LinkedIn
    https://www.linkedin.com/company/covert-code-official/
    ABOUT HOST ANNA COVERT
    Anna Covert is the host of The Covert Code Podcast and author of The Covert Code: Mastering the Art of Digital Marketing and The Solar Coaster.
    With more than two decades of experience in digital marketing, technology strategy, privacy compliance, AI, and business growth, Anna has worked with organizations including Microsoft, Apple, IBM, and hundreds of businesses ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies. She is the Founder and CEO of Covert Communication, Hawaii's largest digital agency.
    ANNA'S WEBSITES
    The Covert Code
    https://thecovertcode.com/
    Anna Covert
    https://annacovert.com/
    Covert Communication
    https://covertcommunication.com/
    Reactium
    https://reactium.io/
    Affiliate Disclosure: Some links included may be affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase through them, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
    45 min

About The Covert Code

From the publisher's feed

Welcome to The Covert Code Podcast, hosted by Forbes best-selling author Anna Covert, where we decode the strategies that drive digital success. Each episode tackles the essential questions: How do you thrive in today’s digital landscape? Are you meeting your customers’ needs? Does your platform deliver, and are your tech choices aligned with your goals? And do your digital ads truly make an impact?