The New Talent Playbook Podcast

Artificial intelligence is everywhere, but many business owners are still asking the wrong question. Instead of wondering "What can AI do?", they should be asking "What business problem are we trying to solve?" In this episode, Rob Levin sits down with brand strategist, author, and Bornstein Group CEO Gal Borenstein to discuss why AI should be viewed as a force multiplier, not a replacement for people. They explore how leaders can use AI to improve decision-making, strengthen trust, and create more competitive businesses without losing the human judgment that customers and employees value most.

Key Takeaways

• AI should amplify people, not replace them: The greatest value comes when AI handles repetitive tasks while humans focus on judgment, creativity, and relationships.
• Solve business problems before buying AI tools: Technology delivers the best results when it's applied to clearly defined operational challenges.
• Trust remains a human responsibility: AI can help scale communication, but authentic leadership, transparency, and customer relationships are what build lasting trust.
• Learning will become the most valuable skill: Employees who continuously adapt and learn how to work alongside AI will create significantly more value than those who rely solely on existing processes.

Episode Highlights

01:49 – AI is a force multiplier, not a workforce replacement

03:14 – Start with the business problem, not the technology

08:21 – Benchmark your business before implementing AI

10:49 – The future belongs to continuous learners

15:53 – Trust is your biggest competitive advantage

22:42 – The best place to start with AI

About the Guest

Gal Borenstein is the Founder and CEO of The Bornstein Group, a branding and marketing agency specializing in technology companies. With more than 30 years of experience helping B2B and government-focused organizations build trust and market differentiation, he's also the author of Don't Believe the Hype and Beating Goliath with AI, where he explores how businesses can leverage AI while maintaining authenticity and customer trust.

More About Gal Borenstein

Connect with Gal on LinkedIn

Check out borensteingroup.com

Gal's Books

Don't Believe the Hype: When Trust is on the Line

Beating Goliath With AI

Turn today's conversation into a better team-shaping strategy. Download the free Action Kit.

More About Rob Levin & WorkBetterNow

Like this show? Click on over and subscribe to our YouTube channel! Follow Rob Levin on Substack. Out now! The New Talent Playbook: The Ultimate Guide to Building Your Dream Team 📕 Available on Amazon or visit thenewtalentplaybook.com and get the free scorecard.

In this episode, Rob Levin makes the case that hiring cannot be passive if you want to grow. Hope is not a strategy. If your business is hitting a people bottleneck, you need to stop waiting for the "perfect" person to appear and start building a faster, more intentional hiring process.

Rob explores why owners often stay stuck in their comfort zone, how that slows growth, and what a CEO should actually be focused on: strategy, the right people, resources, and culture. He also shares the common hiring mistakes small businesses make, including weak job descriptions, poor candidate experience, and relying too heavily on people they already know.

Key Takeaways

• Why proactive hiring is more effective than waiting for the right person to appear
• How to move through the hiring process with greater speed and intention
• The CEO's four core responsibilities when leading a business
• Common mistakes that can make it harder to attract the right talent
• How company culture and the candidate experience influence talent decisions

Timestamps

01:09 Passive vs. active hiring and the importance of urgency

03:17 Comfort zone and trust in hiring decisions

05:18 Common failure modes in small business hiring

05:38 The importance of a compelling candidate experience

06:58 The CEO's four core responsibilities

07:58 Moving with intent and speed in hiring

09:06 Making your company appealing to candidates

09:38 The value of taking risks in hiring and learning from failure

10:31 How to be proactive when hiring

Additional Resources

• A Lot of Businesses Are Going Offshore. A Lot of Them Are Doing It Wrong.
• Hiring Is Harder Than Ever, and That's Exactly Why You Can't Stop
• Why Great People Are Passing on Your Company

Turn today's conversation into a better team-shaping strategy. Download the free Action Kit.

More About Rob Levin & WorkBetterNow

Like this show? Click on over and subscribe to our YouTube channel! Follow Rob Levin on Substack. Out now! The New Talent Playbook: The Ultimate Guide to Building Your Dream Team 📕 Available on Amazon or visit thenewtalentplaybook.com and get the free scorecard.

Most businesses think marketing drives growth. Shawn Busse argues that it starts much earlier, with your culture. In this episode, Rob Levin sits down with the founder and CEO of Kinesis and author of Marketing From the Inside Out to discuss why brand and culture are inseparable, how a strong employer brand attracts better talent, and why mission, vision, and values should shape every hiring decision. If you're struggling to recruit great people or differentiate your business, this episode is your playbook.

Key Takeaways

• Culture is a growth strategy: Companies with intentional cultures build stronger teams, happier customers, and more sustainable growth.
• Clarity attracts the right people: Clearly communicating your mission and expectations helps great candidates opt in, and poor fits opt out.
• Your employees are part of your brand: The experience your team has directly influences the experience your customers receive.
• Purpose belongs in your hiring process: Job descriptions should sell your mission first and list technical skills second.

Episode Highlights

02:44 – Brand is your reputation: your brand isn't your logo, it's how customers, employees, and partners experience your business.

05:54 – Culture creates business growth: investing in mission, vision, and values produces a stronger ROI than increasing marketing spend.

07:03 – The hiring-to-customer cycle: hiring people who align with your purpose leads to happier customers and more referrals.

17:16 – Use AI to evaluate your employer brand.

21:34 – Why understanding your best employees is just as important as knowing your ideal customer.

23:12 – The first steps every business should take to build a culture that attracts and retains A-players are to have their mission, vision, and values clear.

About the Guest

Shawn Busse is the Founder and CEO of Kinesis, a growth studio that helps owner-led businesses build stronger brands through strategy, culture, and marketing. He's the author of Marketing From the Inside Out, a Certified Vistage Speaker, and has spent more than 25 years helping businesses grow by aligning their brand with their people.

Connect with Shawn on LinkedIn

Check out Kinesis

Your next read: Marketing From the Inside Out by Shawn Busse

Turn today's conversation into a better team-shaping strategy. Download the free Action Kit.

More About Rob Levin & WorkBetterNow

Like this show? Click on over and subscribe to our YouTube channel! Follow Rob Levin on Substack. Out now! The New Talent Playbook: The Ultimate Guide to Building Your Dream Team 📕 Available on Amazon or visit thenewtalentplaybook.com and get the free scorecard.

Rob Levin argues that small and midsize business owners need to act now: get hands-on with AI, intentionally improve culture, and carve out time to think strategically. He points to a growing economy with inflation pressure, a setup he describes as "profitless prosperity", and says the owners who win will be the ones who adapt faster.

Key Takeaways

• AI is no longer optional. Owners should take a course, experiment, and build with AI personally. Block 2 hours this week to learn one AI workflow that could free up your time and help your team deliver better service.
• Culture determines who joins, stays, and leaves. Audit your culture, review Glassdoor/Indeed, then ask your top performers what is working and what is broken.
• You need strategic time away from the noise to rethink products, vendors, customer behavior, and new capabilities. Schedule a weekly strategy block.
• The businesses that move quickly will outperform the ones that keep waiting for conditions to improve. Identify one product, service, or process to improve, automate, or eliminate in the next 30 days.

Timestamps

01:06 — Wake-up call for business owners

02:44 — Why now: AI, growth, and inflation

04:09 — Dive into AI yourself as the owner

05:41 — Improve culture by design

07:12 — Protect time for strategy and next moves

08:15 — Final challenge: which group will you be in?

Additional Resources

• ITR Economics on Profitless Prosperity
• What Every Business Owner Should be Doing with AI Right Now
• The State of AI for Business Report
• 7 Culture Moves Behind a Fast-Growing Company
• Don't Have an Assistant? You are One

Ready to apply these insights to your own business? Download the free Action Kit

More About Rob Levin & WorkBetterNow

Like this show? Click on over and subscribe to our YouTube channel! Follow Rob Levin on Substack. Out now! The New Talent Playbook: The Ultimate Guide to Building Your Dream Team 📕 Available on Amazon or visit thenewtalentplaybook.com and get the free scorecard.

Scott Mesh explains how strong leadership starts with listening, solving the right problem, and building a culture where A players feel valued. He shares why appreciation, peer recognition, and treating remote or offshore teammates like full team members are essential for retention. He also introduces Opportunity Focus: a practical way to reframe problems as opportunities, surface blind spots, and improve through deliberate feedback.

Key Takeaways

• Effectiveness comes before efficiency. If you are solving the wrong problem, speed will only make the mistake faster.
• Set clear culture goals. Scott credits Los Niños Services becoming a great company to deliberately setting the goal of improving recruiting and retention.
• People stay when they feel appreciated. Make public recognition and honest peer appreciation part of your weekly rhythm, not a once-a-year gesture.
• Remote and offshore teams should be integrated, not separated. Scott's rule is simple: treat everyone like one team.
• Opportunity Focus reframes challenges as opportunities, which changes motivation and action.
• The most important growth question is: "What can I do better next time?" Ask it often and invite direct feedback.

About the Guest

Scott Mesh is an award-winning CEO and leadership coach making a real impact on early childhood education and organizational development. Scott founded Los Niños Services, which provides specialized education and support to young children in New York City. He also helps leaders unlock their potential through the Opportunity Focus methodology, guiding them to recognize and capitalize on both internal and external opportunities. As a psychologist-turned-executive, Scott brings a unique perspective to modern leadership challenges, including scaling teams, building resilient cultures post-pandemic, and navigating the complexities of both onshore and offshore talent.

Ready to apply these insights to your own business? Download the free Action Kit

More About Scott Mesh

Connect with Scott on LinkedIn.

Check Out scottmesh.com

More About Rob Levin & WorkBetterNow

Like this show? Click on over and subscribe to our YouTube channel! Follow Rob Levin on Substack. Out now! The New Talent Playbook: The Ultimate Guide to Building Your Dream Team 📕 Available on Amazon or visit thenewtalentplaybook.com and get the free scorecard.

Rob Levin breaks down key findings from SmarterX's 2026 State of AI for Business report and translates them into a practical roadmap for founders and SMB leaders. The big message: AI is no longer optional, and the companies that start building skills, workflows, and a culture of experimentation now will outpace those that wait.

Key takeaways

• Most employees believe AI will eliminate more jobs than it creates, but only 20% are worried about their own role, a sign that awareness is lagging behind reality.
• Most teams struggle with four common barriers: not enough training, lack of awareness, no time to implement it, and fear or mistrust of something new.
• The best starting point is the leader: learn AI, build workflows, and focus humans on judgment-heavy work while AI handles repeatable tasks.
• Training, recognition, and team show-and-tell sessions can help build confidence and momentum across the organization.

Timestamps

[01:57] Employee beliefs about AI job loss vs. personal job security

[02:37] Why AI layoffs in the news are mostly noise for SMBs right now

[06:59] Where to start: the leader adopts AI first, then builds workflows and strategy

[09:02] Training the team, making time for learning, and recognizing AI wins

[10:52] Why founders must set the tone and create a culture that embraces change

Ready to apply these insights to your business? Download the free action kit

Bottom line AI adoption is not just a technology decision; it is a leadership and culture decision. Start with your own workflows, invest in team training, and create a company rhythm that rewards learning and experimentation.

Related Substack posts

• How WBN Is Becoming an AI-First Company
• Don't Have an Assistant? You are One

More About Rob Levin & WorkBetterNow

Like this show? Click on over and subscribe to our YouTube channel! Follow Rob Levin on Substack. Out now! The New Talent Playbook: The Ultimate Guide to Building Your Dream Team 📕 Available on Amazon or visit thenewtalentplaybook.com and get the free scorecard.

Most business owners are too busy working IN their business to ever work ON it. After 30 years running Frieda's Specialty Produce, Karen Caplan knows exactly what that costs. She now coaches CEOs and leaders of companies from $10M to $200M in revenue. In this episode, Karen breaks down the three patterns keeping business owners stuck, why really wanting a shift is non-negotiable, and the four coaching questions that redefine the annual performance review forever.

About the Guest

Karen Caplan spent 30 years as CEO of Frieda's Specialty Produce, a family business whose story, including how kiwi fruit and over 200 exotic produce items made their way to American tables, is the subject of the documentary Fear No Fruit. Since selling the company, she has founded an executive coaching and consulting practice, helping CEOs and company leaders navigate the challenges of scaling. For over 15 years, she has also been sharing her thinking on business and leadership through her blog "What's on Karen's Plate".

Episode Highlight

"You have to really want it. Whether it's making a to-do list, a checklist, or deadlines for what needs to get done. You have to really want it and have the discipline to stay focused on whatever the goal is."

Actionable Insights

• Working in your business is the number one growth killer: Karen identifies the single biggest impediment to growth as owners staying buried in day-to-day operations instead of carving out time for vision, strategy, and planning. An outside perspective cuts through that blind spot fast. Most CEOs don't have someone holding them accountable unless they're part of a public company or have investors. That gap is where growth dies. [01:59]
• The pain has to get real before change happens: Karen's own wake-up moment came when her CPA told her she was 'basically spending her inheritance' to keep the business afloat. That shock was the catalyst. Comfort is a trap, and waiting for pain to peak is not a strategy. Having someone on the outside hold up the mirror is. [06:53]
• Replace annual reviews with four coaching questions: What's working well right now? Where are you feeling stuck or frustrated? What support do you need from me? What are you learning? Karen's framework transforms managers from judges to coaches. Consistency and genuine interest in the answers are what build team performance, and it has to happen biweekly, not annually. [16:15]

Ready to apply these insights to your own business? Download the free Action Kit

More About Karen Caplan

Connect with Karen on LinkedIn.

Check Out Karen Caplan

More About Rob Levin & WorkBetterNow

Like this show? Click on over and subscribe to our YouTube channel! Follow Rob Levin on Substack. Out now! The New Talent Playbook: The Ultimate Guide to Building Your Dream Team 📕 Available on Amazon or visit thenewtalentplaybook.com and get the free scorecard.

Most business owners face a paralyzing choice: leap into AI or wait until it's proven. Rob Levin cuts through the false binary. The cost of waiting isn't just competitive lag, it's cultural stagnation and missed efficiency gains happening right now. In this solo episode, he walks you through a practical, risk-managed framework that separates owners who'll thrive from those who'll get crushed: starting with secure infrastructure, building something yourself to demystify AI's power, then scaling adoption across your team with show-and-tell sessions and hands-on experimentation. This is about moving before your competitors do, and doing it confidently.

Episode Highlight "The owners that are gonna come out ahead in this decade with their businesses aren't the ones with the biggest AI budget. They're gonna be the ones that started experimenting now, if they haven't started already, and hopefully got a jump over their competitors."

Actionable Insights

1. Set Up Secure Infrastructure First, Don't Skip This: Before you touch AI, talk to your IT person or hire a consultant to lock down your LLM setup, ensure data isn't being shared or used for learning, and establish a clear AI usage policy. This foundation removes fear, letting your team move confidently. [02:31]
2. Build Something Yourself to Unlock What's Possible: Don't stay in thought-partner mode. Create a custom GPT or AI agent for a recurring task you handle, takes only a couple hours. The point isn't shipping it; it's experiencing firsthand how easy AI is to use and feeling what it can do. This personal breakthrough shifts your mindset from skeptical to strategic. [05:06]
3. Reframe AI Adoption as a Job-Evolution Question, Not a Job-Loss Threat: Be transparent: companies that don't embrace AI will get crushed by those who do. But the message isn't "we're replacing you", it's "your job is changing." People using AI will outcompete people who don't. Offer training, free courses, subscriptions, and time. [10:03]

Ready to apply these insights to your own business? Download the free Action Kit

More Resources

• Inside WBN's AI Transformation

Other Episodes You Might Enjoy

• Why Waiting on AI Is Riskier Than You Think | Alan Pentz
• How WBN Is Becoming an AI-First Company

More About Rob Levin & WorkBetterNow

Like this show? Click on over and subscribe to our YouTube channel! Follow Rob Levin on Substack. Out now! The New Talent Playbook: The Ultimate Guide to Building Your Dream Team 📕 Available on Amazon or visit thenewtalentplaybook.com and get the free scorecard.

What separates leaders who scale from those who hit a ceiling? Damon Gersh, founder and former CEO of Maxsens Restorations, has navigated both, building a team that stayed calm and effective during 9/11 and Superstorm Sandy, then evolving from operator to strategist. In this episode, he breaks down the counterintuitive moves that unlock growth: delegating authority before you need it, maintaining non-negotiable standards that attract top talent, and fundamentally shifting from working in your business to working on it.

About the Guest

Damon Gersh is an entrepreneur best known as the founder and former CEO of Maxsens Restorations, New York's premier property damage restoration firm, which earned recognition for its leadership during 9/11 and Superstorm Sandy. A recipient of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, he has co-founded national business organizations including Restoration Affiliates and Gathering of Titans. Now mentoring and investing in entrepreneurs, real estate, and creative ventures, Gersh continues his lifelong focus on leadership, collaboration, and impact.

Episode Highlight

"A lot of times in life you look back in hindsight, and all the things that you did just moving forward make sense in the rear-view mirror"

Actionable Insights

1. Build Your Leadership Team Before Crisis Hits: The preparation work you do in calm times determines your capacity in chaos. By educating his team, delegating authority, and giving leaders room to make mistakes, he built what he calls "decision-making muscles." [02:29]
2. The Leader Sets the Tone, Even When Scared: On crisis days, people are watching you. Gersh was internally uncertain and scared on 9/11, but he knew his job was to project confidence, calm, and control. That psychological anchor, your visible composure, lets your team move into action mode rather than panic mode. [03:41]
3. High Standards Attract High Performers, Culture Self-Selects: Gersh was raised in the old-school service business ethos: all you have is your reputation and good name. He maintained rigorous standards of professionalism and quality, which he embodied as a leader. The result? Top performers wanted to work there. [08:02]

Ready to apply these insights to your own business? Download the free Action Kit

More About Damon Gersh

Connect with Damon on LinkedIn.

More Resources

Grab your copy of The E-Myth by Michael Gerber

More About Rob Levin & WorkBetterNow

Like this show? Click on over and subscribe to our YouTube channel! Follow Rob Levin on Substack. Out now! The New Talent Playbook: The Ultimate Guide to Building Your Dream Team 📕 Available on Amazon or visit thenewtalentplaybook.com and get the free scorecard.

In this episode, Rob Levin breaks down nine foundational practices that separate thriving companies from stuck ones: from leveraging your unique strength to building accountability systems that empower rather than micromanage. If you're frustrated by growing your business but feeling drained in the process, this episode cuts through the noise to show you where the real leverage is.

Episode Highlight " If you take care of your talent, they will take care of your clients."

Actionable Insights

1. Leverage Your Unique Strength: The work only you can do, where you add value, love the work, and possess irreplaceable skill. But most owners treat it like a luxury. Block time for it relentlessly. Then hire an assistant to eliminate everything else. [01:36]
2. Remove Poor Performers and Fire Poor-Fit Clients Before They Drain Your Team: Poor performers can mean bad attitude or bad capability. Your A players notice who stays and who goes. When you let underperformance slide, you signal that standards don't matter. You also get to choose your clients. Remember: if you don't protect your talent, your clients won't respect them either. [06:30]
3. Continuous Learning Is Your Competitive Moat (Especially in AI): Join a peer group for yourself. Budget time and money for your team to learn new skills. As change accelerates, capability becomes your edge. AI is the obvious case, but this applies across your business. Make it clear: we're investing in your growth. [09:56]

Ready to apply these insights to your own business? Download the free Action Kit

More Resources:

• The 3 Things That Separate Business Owners Who Lead from Those Who Just Keep Up
• Five Talent Changes That Build a Standout Company
• The Hire That Multiplies Results Without Multiplying Payroll
• The Best Investment I Make in Myself Every Year

Other Episodes You Might Enjoy:

• 7 Culture Moves Behind a Fast-Growing Company
• Why Talent Is the New Growth Lever

More About Rob Levin & WorkBetterNow

Like this show? Click on over and subscribe to our YouTube channel! Follow Rob Levin on Substack. Out now! The New Talent Playbook: The Ultimate Guide to Building Your Dream Team 📕 Available on Amazon or visit thenewtalentplaybook.com and get the free scorecard.