The Nickolas Natali Show

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In this episode of The Nickolas Natali Show, Nickolas Natali welcomes back Chris Penfold to discuss agentic AI, governance, systems design, robotics, and the future of work.

Chris explains the differences between chatbots, copilots, and AI agents, and why giving AI the ability to act creates both major opportunities and serious risks. He shares why businesses should avoid automating broken processes, how bounded autonomy can reduce risk, and why companies need to match the right AI model to the right task.

They also explore token costs, local versus cloud-based models, the changing role of business leaders, Claude’s internal reasoning, robotics, biohacking, and opportunities in slow-moving industries like automotive.

The episode closes with Chris’s perspective on fulfillment: understanding yourself, knowing what brings you joy, and intentionally pursuing more of it. 

Takeaways

• Agentic AI can take actions, not just respond to prompts.

• Businesses should fix broken workflows before automating them.

• Ask what AI should not be allowed to do, not just what it can do.

• Higher-risk AI actions require stronger guardrails and human oversight.

• Expensive, high-reasoning models are unnecessary for many simple tasks.

• Leaders need strategic AI understanding, not deep technical expertise.

• AI may shift work toward higher-value human judgment and interaction.

• Fulfillment comes from understanding yourself and pursuing what genuinely brings you joy.

  
  

Chapters

00:00 Introduction: The Future of AI and Work

04:19 Chatbots, Copilots, and AI Agents

09:16 AI Security and Prompt Injection Risks

19:18 How Businesses Should Start Using AI

25:37 What Should AI Not Be Allowed to Do?

30:06 Choosing Models and Managing AI Costs

38:17 Leadership and the Future of Work

53:34 Claude, Robotics, and Biohacking

1:02:40 AI Opportunities in Automotive

1:06:25 What Makes a Fulfilling Life

Chris Penfold’s Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-penfold-cap

https://refinedautonomy.ai/ 

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In this episode of The Nickolas Natali Show, Nickolas Natali sits down with Darnell Hardy, coach, athlete, metabolic testing expert, and founder of Optimize VO2. Darnell shares how suffering a stroke at 34 reshaped his views on fitness, identity, gratitude, faith, and coaching.

They also break down VO2 max, Zone 2 training, VT1 and VT2, lactate thresholds, wearables, fuel utilization, recovery, and race performance. Darnell explains why many athletes train too hard on easy days, why wearable data should be treated as a trend rather than absolute truth, and how a stronger aerobic base can improve both performance and recovery.

The conversation closes with practical advice on fueling before fatigue hits, training for the actual goal instead of chasing metrics, and building a fulfilling life around faith, purpose, natural strengths, and community.

Takeaways

• Fitness gave Darnell a physical reserve he believes helped him recover from his stroke.

• Focus on becoming your next best version instead of trying to reclaim your past self.

• Use wearables to track trends, not as perfect measures of physiology.

• VO2 max reflects cardiovascular capacity, not total athletic ability.

• Many athletes train Zone 2 too hard because they rely on feel instead of physiology.

• Frequent Zone 2 work builds aerobic efficiency and improves recovery.

• Training should match the specific performance goal, not just chase popular metrics.

• In longer races, fuel before you feel like you need it.

  
  

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

01:58 Darnell’s Stroke at 34

07:51 Identity, Faith & Recovery

15:32 Wearables & Heart Rate Accuracy

18:38 What VO2 Max Really Means

22:47 VT1, VT2 & Fuel Use

29:38 The Truth About Zone 2

44:53 Building Your Aerobic Base

01:04:47 VO2 Max Intervals & Norwegian 4x4

01:09:14 Race Fueling, Fatigue & Fulfillment

Darnell Hardy’s Links:

https://www.instagram.com/dhardy.ig

https://www.instagram.com/powermonkeyfitness

https://www.instagram.com/optimizevo2

https://www.optimizevo2.com/

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In this episode of The Nickolas Natali Show, Nickolas Natali sits down with Christian Ulstrup, founder of GSD (recently rebranded as Caritas Venture Co.), where he helps companies use AI to create measurable business outcomes rather than simply adopt new tools. Christian brings nearly a decade of applied AI experience across startups, medical devices, venture-backed companies, private-equity-backed companies, media, and government, along with experience as an MIT Sloan MBA, former MIT AI conference co-chair, startup executive, and patent holder.

Nickolas and Christian explore why AI should be viewed less as a replacement for people and more as a tool for dramatically expanding what capable people can accomplish. They discuss AI agents, identifying the right processes to automate, creating measurable business outcomes, and why human judgment, relationships, and goal-setting become more important as execution gets cheaper.

Christian also shares how his company structures outcome-based engagements, aligns incentives through shared upside and downside, and uses "digital exhaust" from meetings, emails, and customer conversations to uncover hidden opportunities and risks. They also examine AI power users, shadow IT, evolving compensation models, and how service businesses can avoid commoditization.

The conversation closes with a broader idea: technology may change how work gets done, but creating value still begins with taking a genuine interest in other people and helping them move closer to their goals. 

Takeaways

• AI is most valuable when it expands the scope of what people can accomplish rather than simply attempting to remove humans from the process.

• Leaders should begin AI initiatives with customer outcomes and business bottlenecks, not with the technology itself.

• The best automation opportunities combine measurable ROI with strong buy-in from the employees closest to the work being transformed.

• When AI frees employee capacity, that time can be redirected toward relationships, customer conversations, opportunity spotting, and higher-value work.

• Outcome-based pricing can better align incentives, but putting 100% of compensation at risk can reduce client commitment and create unnecessary risk.

• AI power users are often experienced, verbally fluent employees who understand their work deeply, not necessarily the people leadership expects to be the most technical.

• Meeting transcripts, sales calls, emails, CRM data, and other digital exhaust can help surface patterns, risks, and opportunities that would otherwise remain difficult to see.

• AI should generate hypotheses and make information more legible, but humans still need to apply judgment, collaborate, set goals, and decide what is actually worth pursuing.

  
  

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Christian Ulstrup and the Future of AI

02:00 Why AI Cannot Simply Replace Human Workers

10:11 What AI Agents Actually Look Like in Practice

17:00 How to Decide What Your Business Should Automate

26:04 What Happens When AI Frees Up Employee Capacity

33:15 Outcome-Based Pricing and Aligning Incentives

44:26 Finding and Developing AI Power Users

50:07 Mining Digital Exhaust for Hidden Business Insights

01:04:26 How Service Businesses Can Avoid Commoditization

01:08:10 Building a Fulfilling Life Through Service and Relationships

Christian Ulstrup’s Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianulstrup/

https://www.instagram.com/culstrup/

Want to work with Nick and his team?:

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In this episode of The Nickolas Natali Show, Nickolas Natali sits down with Brimstone, a multi-hyphenate entrepreneur and entertainer whose career spans professional wrestling, radio, podcasting, acting, voice acting, comic books, music, food, licensing, philanthropy, and more.

Five years after his first appearance on the show, Brimstone returns to unpack what it actually takes to build a lasting career rather than experience a brief moment of success. He and Nickolas explore work ethic, reinvention, authenticity, branding, self-promotion, relationships, collaboration, and the importance of continually creating new opportunities.

Brimstone explains why he prefers building across multiple interconnected ventures rather than staying in a single lane, sharing how wrestling naturally led to comics, voice acting, food content, products, podcasts, and eventually the upcoming Stan Lee Presents podcast. He also opens up about the costly consequences of trusting the wrong business partners, why authenticity has been one of his greatest advantages, and how strategic unpaid collaborations can create long-term opportunities.

The conversation ultimately comes back to fulfillment: doing meaningful work, building relationships, helping others, pursuing what makes you happy, and leaving behind a legacy your family can be proud of.

Takeaways

• Lasting success comes from consistent work, not short-term virality.

• Strong branding and self-promotion are essential if you want to stay relevant and memorable.

• Building multiple interconnected ventures can create more opportunity and reduce dependence on one career path.

• Trusting the wrong people can be one of the most expensive mistakes in business.

• Authenticity, competence, and strong relationships are major drivers of long-term success.

• Strategic free work and collaborations can lead to valuable relationships, exposure, and future paid opportunities.

• Fulfillment is about meaningful work, family, contribution, happiness, and leaving a legacy, not just money.

  
  

Chapters

00:00 Introducing Brimstone

01:29 Building a Lasting Career

10:39 Succeeding Across Multiple Ventures

18:30 Branding, Self-Promotion & Staying Memorable

23:00 Turning One Opportunity Into the Next

36:23 Brimstone’s Biggest Business Lessons

43:01 Authenticity, Criticism & Playing the Long Game

57:21 What It Means to Live a Fulfilling Life

Brimstone’s Links:

https://www.instagram.com/therealbrimstone/

https://www.therealbrimstone.com/

https://x.com/entrancetohell

https://www.linkedin.com/in/entrancetohell/

Want to work with Nick and his team?:

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In this episode of The Nickolas Natali Show, Nickolas Natali welcomes back Grant Singer for the season finale. As tradition goes, this episode blends reflection, humor, and honest conversation about the year behind them and the one ahead.

Grant shares a major exclusive. He reveals plans to launch a boutique guitar pedal company inspired by his recent solo trip to Japan, where he sourced rare vintage components in Tokyo’s famous Akihabara district. He explains the creative vision behind the brand and why 2026 will be a defining year for him.

The conversation also dives into the rapidly changing entertainment industry. From Netflix potentially acquiring Warner Brothers to the Oscars moving to YouTube, Grant gives a candid update on his independently produced feature film and what the future may look like for filmmakers navigating consolidation and uncertainty.

Nickolas reflects on a year defined by sacrifice, business growth, endurance milestones, and stress. From completing a Half Ironman to preparing for a 100-mile race, he shares lessons on focus, boundaries, and ambition.

It is an honest, thoughtful, and entertaining close to the season.

Takeaways

• Do not fall in love with your vacation. Travel is not the same as real life.

• Clarity creates power in business, relationships, and creativity.

• Focus is not about adding more. It is about removing distractions.

• Social media often gives the illusion of control while quietly draining time and energy.

• Stress can signal growth when building something meaningful.

• The entertainment industry is consolidating rapidly, and independent creators must adapt.

• Release strategy shapes culture. Weekly releases build anticipation in ways content dumps cannot.

• Massive corporate mergers may permanently reshape film and television.

• Passion-driven businesses tend to last longer than purely opportunistic ones.

• Big swings require vulnerability and risk.

• Entrepreneurship exposes uncomfortable truths about markets and incentives.

• Growth, whether athletic or professional, requires sacrifice.

  
  

Chapters

00:00 Intro and Season Finale Disclaimer

01:20 Grant Returns and Anniversary Reflections

05:30 Japan Trip and Mount Fuji Economics

11:30 Solo Travel and Creative Inspiration

12:30 Soft Launch of the Guitar Pedal Company

16:45 The 100-Mile Race Challenge

25:30 Film Update and Independent Production

28:30 Industry Shakeup and Corporate Consolidation

34:00 Apple Versus Netflix Release Strategy

43:00 Business Growth, Sacrifice, and Stress

46:45 Starting a Niche Business and Industry Pushback

53:00 Word of the Year: Clarity

57:00 Identity and Introversion

1:00:00 Lessons from Pain and Big Swings Ahead 

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In this episode of The Nickolas Natali Show, Nickolas Natali breaks down one of the most misunderstood advantages in business, content, sales, and personal growth: repetition. Instead of chasing shortcuts, hacks, or surface-level optimizations, Nickolas explains why real winners build moats through volume, feedback, and iteration.

He introduces the “Reps Moat Flywheel,” a practical framework that shows how volume creates feedback, feedback fuels iteration, iteration builds skill, and skill compounds into leverage and capacity. Drawing from business examples, sports analogies, and his own current Half Ironman training, Nickolas highlights how unseen, consistent work is what separates durable operators from stalled performers.

The episode covers what activities deserve repetition, what behaviors to eliminate, and how to structure a 30-day repetition sprint across content, sales, pipeline, product, faith, and health. Nickolas also addresses a critical risk most people ignore: burnout. He shares reminders on batching, templating, systemization, and rest rhythms that allow volume without chaos.

This episode is a tactical blueprint for anyone feeling stuck, overthinking execution, or watching momentum fade. If you want more leads, better skills, and sustainable growth, this is a call to stop tweaking and start shipping.

Takeaways

• Repetition, not talent, is the true competitive advantage in business.
• Volume creates data, and data enables better decisions.
• Most people stall because they wait too long between reps.
• You only see a fraction of competitors’ actual effort behind the scenes.
• The Reps Moat Flywheel compounds skill into leverage and capacity.
• Core money skills deserve the most repetition.
• If an activity moves leads, revenue, or retention, it earns reps.
• Single-variable testing prevents catastrophic inefficiency.
• Endless planning and vanity metrics kill momentum.
• Tracking daily output accelerates improvement.
• Doubling down on winners matters more than fixing losers.
• Sustainable volume requires systems, batching, and rest rhythms.

Chapters

00:00 Why shortcuts fail and repetition wins

00:21 The real problem behind stalled growth

00:39 What a business moat actually is

01:12 The Reps Moat Flywheel explained

01:50 Lessons from elite athletes and unseen work

03:20 How repetition applies to business execution

03:49 Half Ironman training as a repetition case study

04:34 What to repeat in your business

05:13 What to kill: planning traps and vanity work

05:29 The 30-day repetition sprint framework

06:31 Tracking metrics that actually matter

07:06 Weekly reviews and doubling down on winners

07:21 Anti-burnout rules for high-volume execution

08:06 Final action step and implementation challenge

Want to work with Nick?:

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In this episode of The Nickolas Natali Show, Nickolas Natali delivers a no-fluff, operator-level breakdown of how to turn appointment setting into a predictable, scalable system instead of a founder-dependent scramble. This is a solo episode built for founders who are tired of watching leads go cold, calendars empty out, and pipelines rot due to slow response times and inconsistent follow-up.

Nickolas walks through a complete, plug-and-play framework covering a 7-day CRM cadence, a 7-day Instagram DM cadence, and the exact rules for when and how to hire an appointment setter. Drawing from real-world execution inside GoHighLevel and social DMs, he explains why speed to lead under 60 seconds is non-negotiable, how multi-channel follow-up dramatically increases booking rates, and how clean pipeline ownership prevents revenue drop-offs when the founder gets busy.

The episode also dives into compensation structures, KPIs that actually matter, and a step-by-step hiring and onboarding plan designed to get setters productive fast without burning founder time. If you want fewer no-shows, higher show rates, and a calendar that fills consistently without you chasing every lead yourself, this episode lays out the exact operating system to make it happen.

Takeaways

• Speed to lead under 60 seconds massively increases close rates.
• Most founders lose deals due to lack of cadence, not lack of leads.
• A clear CRM pipeline prevents leads from falling through the cracks.
• Multi-channel follow-up (call, text, email, DM) is mandatory.
• Aim for at least 10 touches across 7 days for every new lead.
• Binary questions make it easier for prospects to respond.
• Personalized Looms should be reserved for high-fit prospects.
• Dead leads are not dead—30/60/90-day reactivation campaigns revive pipeline.
• No-show follow-up requires urgency and immediate outreach.
• Instagram DMs are powerful because prospects are active daily.
• Hire a setter when speed to lead slips or follow-up exceeds 6 hours/week.
• Clear KPIs and structured onboarding are critical for setter success.

Chapters

00:00 Why Most Leads Die

01:28 CRM Pipeline Fundamentals

02:15 The 7-Day CRM Cadence

03:56 Messaging That Gets Responses

05:15 Loom Videos & Personalization

06:19 Dead Leads & Reactivation

07:10 No-Show Rescue Strategy

08:38 Instagram DM Framework

10:56 Inbound vs Outbound DMs

11:45 When to Hire an Appointment Setter

12:40 Setter Compensation Models

13:15 Hiring, Training, and KPIs

14:40 Final Action Plan

Want to work with Nick?:

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In this episode of The Nickolas Natali Show, Nickolas Natali dives deep into one of the most common dilemmas service providers face: whether to offer custom packages, templated packages, or a hybrid model. Drawing from personal experiences working with agencies and consulting clients, Nickolas introduces the “Offer Fit Matrix,” a scoring framework designed to help entrepreneurs determine the ideal delivery model for their business based on factors like outcome variance, ICP maturity, sales cycle, and margin volatility.

He breaks down three offer models—custom, package, and hybrid—and shows you how to choose between them depending on your business complexity and client type. Nickolas also shares a compelling analogy from a massage experience in Bali to highlight how perceived customization can maintain client satisfaction without sacrificing scalability. Whether you're an agency owner, freelancer, or founder, this episode equips you with practical tools like pricing guardrails, delivery systems, and even a 30-day action plan to transition smoothly into a new offer structure.

Takeaways

• Feast-or-famine cycles often stem from offer problems, not marketing issues.
• Custom packages win high-value clients but often drain operational capacity.
• Templated packages boost speed and margins but may not serve complex buyers well.
• Hybrid offers—80% productized with 20% modular customization—balance scale and personalization.
• The “Offer Fit Matrix” helps determine which model fits your business, based on 8 scoreable criteria.
• Score 0–6 → use packaged offers; 7–11 → go hybrid; 12–16 → lean custom with controls.
• Use pre-set “modules” to create change orders without slipping into scope creep.
• Custom work should follow phase-gated milestones and bill in 40/40/20 or similar structures.
• Personalization ≠ custom—letting clients choose options (like in a Bali massage) can feel custom while remaining scalable.
• A/B test your offer presentation: templated first, then reposition as custom if needed for big clients.
• Introduce pricing tiers for packages and cap hybrid modules to three for operational clarity.
• Follow a 4-week transition plan to test and measure offer fit before overhauling delivery models.

Chapters

00:00 Feast or Famine Is an Offer Problem

00:35 Balancing Margin vs Momentum

01:28 Real Client Story: Productizing from Chaos

02:50 The Offer Fit Matrix Breakdown

04:55 When to Choose Custom, Package, or Hybrid

06:30 Bali Massage Story: Personalization Without Complexity

07:38 Pricing and Guardrails for Each Model

08:50 Your 30-Day Transition Plan

09:58 Advanced Hybrid Strategy (Sales Call Repositioning)

11:00 Final Thoughts and Action Steps

Want to work with Nick?:

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In this episode of The Nickolas Natali Show, Nickolas Natali delivers a tactical blueprint for entrepreneurs who feel stuck doing everything in their business—sales, fulfillment, support, and more. If you're feeling like every new client just adds more stress, this episode gives you the step-by-step framework to fix that in just one week.

Nickolas breaks down the core problem most founders face: they don’t have a business—they have a job with a logo. He introduces a powerful 7-Day System Sprint to help you escape that trap by installing simple, scalable systems. You’ll learn how to productize your offer, build out a clear delivery roadmap, and hire or automate your way out of being the bottleneck.

With sharp insights from his own agency scaling journey, Nickolas emphasizes outcomes, not energy. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to unlock a new level of growth, this episode hands you the tools to start replacing heroics with playbooks. By the end, you'll know how to free up time, increase margins, and start building a real business that runs—even when you're offline.

Takeaways

• Until your outcomes are driven by systems you don’t personally run, you don’t own a business.

• Most entrepreneurs hit a ceiling because they’re doing custom work for every client—productizing fixes that.

• A strong offer starts with a single clear promise: “We do X in Y time so you get Z outcome.”

• Map out 5–10 unchanging delivery milestones that create predictability and efficiency.

• Record yourself doing every key task and turn those into training Loops for easy delegation.

• Build a template and asset library to streamline client onboarding and fulfillment.

• Set clear delivery cadences and reporting rhythms to manage expectations and reduce churn.

• Use a 7-day sprint to build systems fast—each day has a clear focus, from offer audit to QA setup.

• Hire an admin VA first to remove yourself from forms, tasks, and handoffs.

• Track 4 key inputs: pipeline volume, speed to lead, delivery cycle time, and QA pass rate.

• The “need for novelty” is a trap—boring, repeatable systems are what drive scale.

• Start scrappy: record Looms for Steps 1–3 and hire a VA to execute while you improve over time.

  
  

Chapters

00:00 Why You're Still Stuck at the Same Revenue

01:00 You Can’t Outwork the Calendar—You Need Systems

01:36 What Systems Actually Do: Retention, Margins, Time

02:15 Three-Part Framework Overview

02:44 The Productization Stack (7 Elements)

05:04 Boring = Scalable: Repeating the Same 5–10 Steps

06:00 The 7-Day System Sprint (Daily Breakdown)

08:00 First Three Hires to Make

08:20 Track These 4 KPIs Every Week

08:38 Action Plan: Block 90 Minutes and Start Now

Want to work with Nick?:

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https://www.amazon.com/shop/nickolasnatali

Support The Nickolas Natali Show on Patreon⁠: 

https://www.patreon.com/nickolasnatali

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In this episode of The Nickolas Natali Show, Nickolas Natali breaks down the “seven levers” that let you tilt the odds of success in your favor. He opens with a sharp hiring story that contrasts talkers with doers, then walks through a practical score-yourself framework founders can use to raise their performance on command. Core themes include cultivating true competitiveness, raising your finish rate on worthwhile commitments, curating an inner circle that elevates your standards, solving problems by building systems, earning credibility others will vouch for, compressing the learn-apply loop, and developing a durable obsession that outlasts boredom. Along the way he flags common traps — envy, perfectionism, over-dependence, overthinking, people-pleasing, course-hopping, burnout — and offers simple guardrails to avoid them. Memorable moments include the “weighted dice” success metaphor, the Scalabrine comparison for calibrating standards, and a Kobe Bryant nod to the cost of greatness. The episode closes with a reminder to track what matters and keep stacking small advantages until the odds feel unfair in your direction.

Takeaways

• Success is not random; you can stack the odds with specific, controllable levers. 

• Compete against the best available standard, not the average.

• Raise your finish rate on worthwhile goals; ignore sunk costs on low-value tasks.

• Proximity matters — choose circles that reset your “thermostat” higher.

• Don’t just fix problems once; build systems so solutions are sustainable.

• Earn a reputation others will vouch for through proof, not promises.

• Learn and apply at equal speed: decide, act, get feedback, refine.

• Obsession turns a hobby into a business; channel it so it stays healthy.

• Beware pitfalls tied to each lever: envy, perfectionism, over-dependence, overthinking, people-pleasing, course-hopping, burnout.

• Track inputs and outcomes; what gets tracked gets improved.

• Use rival benchmarks and vivid examples to close the gap faster.

• Keep fundamentals handled so you can endure the boring parts and keep going.

  
  

Chapters

00:00 Intro and “weighted dice” success idea. 

00:44 The doer vs talker hiring story.

02:15 Lever 1: Real competitiveness and rival benchmarks.

03:03 Lever 2: Finish rate on worthwhile commitments.

03:55 Lever 3: Inner circle that raises your standards.

05:26 Lever 4: Problem solving into systems.

06:10 Lever 5: Credibility others will vouch for.

06:55 Lever 6: Learn–apply at equal speed.

07:52 Lever 7: Durable, healthy obsession.

08:40 The cost of greatness and the Kobe example.

09:20 Pitfalls to avoid for each lever.

10:09 Final push: track, stack, and tilt the odds.

Want to work with Nick?:

https://allthingsmediallc.com/

Free Resources Made by Nick:

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Nick’s Podcast Equipment, Training Equipment and More (Affiliate):

https://www.amazon.com/shop/nickolasnatali

Support The Nickolas Natali Show on Patreon⁠: 

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DM Nick on Instagram: 

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