AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0

AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more… AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: http://aztrtshow.com/ Please Subscribe. Thanks for Listening. - More Info: https://www.economicknight.com/azpodcast/

Cybersecurity & Compliance w/ Paige Hanson of Secure Labs - AZ TRT S06 EP15 (277) 8-17-2025 08/21/2025

Cybersecurity & Compliance w/ Paige Hanson of Secure Labs - AZ TRT S06 EP15 (277) 8-17-2025 Cybersecurity & Compliance w/ Paige Hanson of Secure Labs - AZ TRT S06 EP15 (277) 8-17-2025 What We Learned This Week: A cybersecurity breach can cost more than just data—it can damage infrastructure and destroy client confidence. Even smaller companies (50–100 employees) need structured safeguards, compliance, and often outside MSSPs to stay secure. Secure Labs provides a roadmap for companies to meet regulatory standards like HIPAA, ISO 27001, and SOC 2, helping them win bigger clients. AI-driven threats like voice cloning and deepfakes make personal and business digital security more important than ever. Compliance isn’t cheap—outside audits can run $5,000–$50,000 annually, while Big Four audits may exceed $100,000. Guest: Paige Hanson, Co-Founder of Secure Labs LinkedIn: Founder of SecureLabs | Helping businesses meet their security compliance standards | Fractional GRC | 🎤 Keynote, Moderator & Speaker | Identity Theft & Cyber Safety Expert | Volunteer | Wife + Mama Speaker Info: YouTube: Secure Labs Website: Fortify Your Company's Future: Expert GRC Solutions SecureLabs empowers organizations to navigate the complex landscape of governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) with ease. Our cutting-edge platform and expert services simplify critical processes, helping you achieve and maintain compliance while effectively mitigating risks. Podcast Notes: Segment 1: The Reality of Cybersecurity Risks What’s at stake in a breach? Data loss Infrastructure damage Loss of client confidence Common Cyber Terms: hack, breach, ransomware. Compliance & Budgeting: Every company must include cybersecurity and compliance in their budget. Company Example (50–100 employees): Usually 1 internal cybersecurity employee (legal + security). Outsource parts of the process to MSSPs (Managed Security Service Providers). Use SaaS tools to defend/alert against threats. Cyber risk insurance often included. Safeguards & Processes: Passwords, mobile device policies, website usage, software downloads. Security parameters for access and usage within the company. Company-issued laptops/phones are common, but personal device use may create security risks. Oversight: Department manager responsible for implementation, oversight, and quality control. Segment 2: Secure Labs & Paige’s Journey About Secure Labs: Provides an app/platform for companies to outsource cybersecurity. Offers compliance, oversight, and process validation. About Paige (Founder Bio): Accidentally entered the cybersecurity industry. 17 years at LifeLock, building ID theft programs for law enforcement. Co-founded Secure Labs with two partners. Runs a remote global team. Common Client Question: “Where do I start?” Frameworks & Compliance: NIST Protocols: Best practices baseline for cybersecurity. GRC Platform (Secure Labs): Handles regulated industries (HIPAA, ISO 27001). SOC 2 Reports: Validation for security compliance. Why It Matters: Businesses must prove strong cyber/data protocols to win bigger clients. Medium/large companies demand strict security from partners. Interconnected SaaS & cloud systems increase risk. Validation & Auditing: Small companies seeking larger clients often need validation. Outside auditors review processes for compliance & insurance. Secure Labs provides both the platform and the roadmap for this. Segment 3: Budgets, Tips, and Best Practices Key Practices: GBLA compliance (Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act). Onboarding & offboarding client data securely. Regular security team meetings (quarterly). Ongoing record upkeep and compliance tracking. Social Media Risks: What info are you sharing? Photos, posts, public/private profile settings. Timing of posts – avoid real-time “check-ins.” Businesses also need to monitor their public digital profile. AI Threats: Voice cloning & deepfakes possible with as little as 10 seconds of audio. Reinforces importance of strict security protocols. Ongoing Monitoring: Secure Labs sends periodic alerts on major breaches (e.g., AWS, Microsoft, Amazon). Budgets & Costs: Outside auditors: $5,000 – $50,000/year. Big Four audits: $100,000+. Compliance budgeting is critical for long-term protection. Where to Learn More: Website: securelab.ai LinkedIn: Paige’s profile YouTube: Paige on Cyber Biotech Shows: AZ Tech Council Shows: *Includes show from 2/12/2023 Tech Topic: Best of Tech: ‘Best Of’ Topic: Thanks for Listening. Please Subscribe to the AZ TRT Podcast. AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more… AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: ‘Best Of’ AZ TRT Podcast: Podcast on Google: Podcast on Spotify: More Info: KFNX Info: Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the Hosts, Guests and Speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent (or affiliates, members, managers, employees or partners), or any Station, Podcast Platform, Website or Social Media that this show may air on. All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes. Nothing said on this program should be considered advice or recommendations in: business, legal, real estate, crypto, tax accounting, investment, etc. Always seek the advice of a professional in all business ventures, including but not limited to: investments, tax, loans, legal, accounting, real estate, crypto, contracts, sales, marketing, other business arrangements, etc. /episode/index/show/brt-show/id/37913755

Voxify: AI Voice Assistant for Small Business w/ David Duguan - AZ TRT S06 EP14 (276) 8-3-2025 08/08/2025

Voxify: AI Voice Assistant for Small Business w/ David Duguan - AZ TRT S06 EP14 (276) 8-3-2025 Voxify: AI Voice Assistant for Small Business w/ David Duguan - AZ TRT S06 EP14 (276) 8-3-2025 What We Learned This Week AI Assistant software Aurora for phones Small Business are overwhelmed with many aspects of business from sales to customer service Bad Customer Service costs $ in lost revenue AI Adoption by business is growing as they go from not knowing, to known David is from Ghana in Africa, & tried Soccer, then a DR, to finally land a Tech career Guest: David Duguan, CEO of About David Duguan David Duguan is a Ghanaian born and raised entrepreneur, founder and CEO of Voxify. A human innovation company focused on automating and increasing business performance serving the 16 trillion dollar small to medium business market. He was formerly the CTO of a seven-figure tech startup, Visual Solution Nexus. With experience spanning technical leadership, product management, and team-building, he balances big-picture strategy with focused execution. He attended Ball State University and Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis and studied science. He is also highly skilled in building scalable and efficient technology infrastructure and is a Certified AWS Cloud Architect. He is multilingual with fluency in English, Twi, Fanti and conversational in French, and has a passion for music, good African food, cars, golf, design, art, and cigars. focused on empowering small business to accelerate growth with an AI Powered phone assistant, Aurora. The platform has proven to fuel new revenue streams for business. In fact, one of Voxify’s customers, a small window cleaning company recovered $90,000 in previously lost revenue within a few months. The AI-powered voice automation company transforms how small and mid-sized businesses stay competitive in a fast-moving world. Ultimately the company is redefining business communications for small to medium business which is an addressable US$130billion dollar market opportunity. Aurora Hub ensures businesses never miss a call, automatically handles customer inquiries, and helps owners focus on what matters most—growing their business. Whether it’s capturing leads after hours, streamlining Respond to Customer Instantly: Keeps businesses connected 24/7 so every call, lead, or inquiry is captured—no more lost business. Boosts Revenue and ROI: Converts missed calls into booked jobs, helping businesses grow without increasing overhead. Personalized and Customizable AI: Aurora adapts to each business, acting as a seamless extension of staff—not just a tool, but a trusted liaison with real sentiment supporting 29 languages. Delivers Confidence and Control: Owners gain peace of mind knowing communications are handled professionally, even outside of business hours with phone, SMS, web and email. Data at your fingertips: Aurora real-time actionable insights to better understand your business opportunities. Save Time and Money: By handling routine tasks and follow-ups automatically, Aurora reduces the need for extra staff, minimizes scheduling mistakes, and frees up owners to focus on what matters most Keep your customers happy: Aurora ensures prompt, friendly, and accurate responses every time—no hold music, no missed calls. With human-like sentiment and multilingual support, customers feel heard and valued, increasing satisfaction and loyalty across every channel Aurora AI Assistant - has proven to fuel new revenue streams for business and for one small window cleaning company Notes: Voxify Segment 1 Sam Walton, who started Walmart, said the business has only one boss, the customer. Every business needs good customer support, but it rarely gets the attention it needs. Many small businesses are overwhelmed, and allways need to make more revenue. Solution to this problem, introduce Voxify, the AI assistant, that can also help with your internal data. In 2025, data is crucial to a business and helps keep you organized. There is an adoption level in AI that Voxify needs to get their clients to. Part of the problem is just education and awareness. It’s not the fault of the business market. They’re overwhelmed and unaware of what solutions are out there. Voxify product Aurora is easy to use, and gets over the gap of education. Average business with a solo operator loses calls. They also do not have enough customer insight which creates gaps in their business. Voxify tool solves this. You get the best customer support and you eliminate things customers hate like back-and-forth or voicemail tag. Clients see the outcome fast, and so to their customers. Voxify’s real customers, are actually the customers of their customers. Company size of a typical client could be an HVAC, home, plumbing or some type of consultant company. Outcome from their service is an average ROI of 430%, you make more money and stem lost revenue. Services is like a virtual employee that answers the phones and can book a meeting. Educate businesses on the use of AI, need for better customer support and how not having this technology means lost revenue. Segment 2 How Voxify got started: David was working in an architecture startup firm on visuals. The firm had bad customer support. The way their projects worked for payment is half upfront and half at the end. Many payments were late and it was causing internal issues. They had an assistant and a VA answering the phones. This particular architecture firm was a niche market, hard to train on the phones. David had a thesis you could use AI and ChatGPT to build the technology for what they needed. He did this and then validated it with a 200 customers pre-launch. They did lots of research to improve the product. Voxify is a three-year-old company, and they created their main software Aurora in the spring of 2024. David is an immigrant, originally from Ghana, West Africa. Had no formal training in technology or business and had to learn of money as he went. Originally thought about playing soccer, then started to train to be a heart surgeon. Neither of these happened so he went into business. Segment 3 David joked that to succeed in life he was taught you had to be one of three careers, engineer, doctor, or attorney. He spent time working in biotech, and there learned his love to work on things and do research. Then he got the job as the CTO at the architecture visual startup, as a cloud architect. Cloud Architects design technology architecture for virtual machines or databases or software. “Invent our way out of the box, outside the box, outside the status quo.’ Ask questions based on intention. Testing Software - Check the text spelling vs the Voice or phonetics. Had to handle customer complaints, check in 24 hours, and provide good customer service. The data portion is very important. Example: window cleaning company. AI assistant has to collect info and see what the customer wants. It’s hard for these companies to do a customer baseline price. But customers want an estimated service price, and also what expedient fees would cost to do it fast faster. AI service can help with all of this. Voxify is chasing impact and change to bring down tech barriers. Solve problems with small to medium business and service based companies. Small business is 50% of the GDP in the US. Bring education on AI to the business community. Adoption needs two things: Going from you don’t know, to you know. Once they know, and have been educated, easier to adopt the technology. Voxify AI software is $99 a month to start. Software can be trained very fast within a few minutes, just by scraping a client’s website and learning the business. Then over time you talk to the AI and you make changes to the info and answers said on the phone. Create an SOP doc / standard operating procedure, outline the process of how the assistant needs to talk to your customers Biotech Shows: AZ Tech Council Shows: *Includes show from 2/12/2023 Tech Topic: Best of Tech: ‘Best Of’ Topic: Thanks for Listening. Please Subscribe to the AZ TRT Podcast. AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more… AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: ‘Best Of’ AZ TRT Podcast: Podcast on Google: Podcast on Spotify: More Info: KFNX Info: Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the Hosts, Guests and Speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent (or affiliates, members, managers, employees or partners), or any Station, Podcast Platform, Website or Social Media that this show may air on. All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes. Nothing said on this program should be considered advice or recommendations in: business, legal, real estate, crypto, tax accounting, investment, etc. Always seek the advice of a professional in all business ventures, including but not limited to: investments, tax, loans, legal, accounting, real estate, crypto, contracts, sales, marketing, other business arrangements, etc. /episode/index/show/brt-show/id/37738960

Business Lessons from the Movies - The Founder & the Start of McDonalds - AZ TRT S06 EP13 (275) 7-27-2025 07/31/2025

Business Lessons from the Movies - The Founder & the Start of McDonalds - AZ TRT S06 EP13 (275) 7-27-2025 Business Lessons from the Movies - The Founder & the Start of McDonalds - AZ TRT S06 EP13 (275) 7-27-2025 What We Learned This Week: Speedee Service System - assembly line approach invents the fast-food industry, replicated to this day What Business Are You In? - McDonald’s is a Real Estate Company w/ an estimated $42B in Real Estate Holdings It's the Name, McDonald’s - Branding - from The Founder McDonald’s is the New American Church - Positioning Notes: Seg. 1 The Founder What Business are you in? – McD in real estate biz, largest in US Power of the Name – branding, McDonalds is New American Church Systems – Speedee System, speed and lean, like a factory in the kitchen Bonus * - Perseverance – Kroc was 52 when he met McDonalds brothers, selling milk shake machines You’re not in the burger business you’re in the real estate business. You don’t build an empire selling $.15 hamburgers. You build an empire on the land that those hamburgers are made of. Power of the name, branding, McDonald’s is the new American church on main street. A vision of a wholesome America, families go to eat share values. Branding see that name lit up on the sign. McDonald’s sounds like America. Would you eat at a place named Crocs? Guy eats at McDonald’s he’s never going to get pushed around. Great book on McDonald’s, and the industry called Fast Food Nation by Eric S Speedee system, bring factory component to a kitchen. Redesign a kitchen for speed and efficiency, orders in 30 seconds like a conveyor belt. No plates all paper throw it away when done. You have a service window people walk up and get their food immediately. The idea of being is to go lean. Initially there was a learning curve with customers but soon it caught on and it was the model for all fast food restaurants. They did practice runs to test their system with no customers see it in action and let the data dictate how the plan should be. ** Clips from past show: Moneyball, Boiler Room, Glengarry Glen Ross, The Founder - Business Lessons from the Movies - BRT S03 EP42 (141) 8-28-2022 Full Show: Seg. 2 The Founder, the story of Ray Kroc and McDonald’s. What Business Are You In? - McDonalds is a Real Estate Company Replay Clip from 2/9/20, where Matt talks about the biggest franchise of all, and what their real business model is. McDonalds has built a business empire thru Real Estate, not burgers. The Dollar Menu is designed to get customers in the door. McDonalds loses $ when people purchase from the dollar menu, it is a Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC). This is also called a ‘Loss Leader’, selling a product at a low cost to get customers. McDonalds then makes money when people buy more, and off return business. McDonalds is one of the biggest Real Estate companies in the world. The stock is valued on the $37 Billion in Real Estate they own. They make money as a landlord, because the franchisee is their tenant. The Founder – business movie biography of Ray Kroc. Kroc started as a milk shake salesmen to the McDonalds brothers in California, then went on to create the franchise system we know today. The first President of McDonalds Franchise (Harry Sonneborn) helped Kroc create the real estate model that the franchise was base on, and used to scale to a billion $ company. Internally McDonalds used the Brother’s Speedee Service System created pre-Kroc. The Question ‘What Business Are You In?’ comes from business consultant Peter Drucker. Business owners need to understand what problem or service they really offer their customers. Ie – Starbucks is in the Customer Experience business, not coffee, but the atmosphere of drinking the coffee ** Clips from past show: McDonalds, Apple, Disruption, 80/20 - Best of Host Matt on Business Topics - BRT S03 EP10 (109) 3-6-2022 Full Show: Investing Shows: ‘Best Of’ Topic: Thanks for Listening. Please Subscribe to the AZ TRT Podcast. AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more… AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: ‘Best Of’ AZ TRT Podcast: Podcast on Google: Podcast on Spotify: More Info: KFNX Info: Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the Hosts, Guests and Speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent (or affiliates, members, managers, employees or partners), or any Station, Podcast Platform, Website or Social Media that this show may air on. All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes. Nothing said on this program should be considered advice or recommendations in: business, legal, real estate, crypto, tax accounting, investment, etc. Always seek the advice of a professional in all business ventures, including but not limited to: investments, tax, loans, legal, accounting, real estate, crypto, contracts, sales, marketing, other business arrangements, etc. /episode/index/show/brt-show/id/37625040

Tech Productivity to AI to Cybersecurity to Sports Cars - Best of Tech 1st half 2025 - AZ TRT S06 EP12 (274) 7-6-2025 07/17/2025

Tech Productivity to AI to Cybersecurity to Sports Cars - Best of Tech 1st half 2025 - AZ TRT S06 EP12 (274) 7-6-2025 Tech Productivity to AI to Cybersecurity to Sports Cars - Best of Tech 1st half 2025 - AZ TRT S06 EP12 (274) 7-6-2025 What We Learned This Week ChatGPT is an AI chatbot, developed by OpenAI, that can engage in human-like conversations Clips form podcasts focused on tech in the 1st Half of 2025 Notes: Segment 1: Tech Productivity - AZ TRT S06 EP06 (267) 3-23-2025 What We Learned This Week ChatGPT is an AI chatbot, developed by OpenAI, that can engage in human-like conversations ChatGPT can read docs, edit docs, answer Qs, and transcribe Elevenreader – app that turns any document into audio Google Drive – office suite of tools for spreadsheets, docs, powerpoints, & more Todoist – task management program Pocket – web research tool that saves & organizes links Guest: Denver Nowicz, President - Wealth For Life Denver is an advisor with nearly 20 years experience working with clients in investments and insurance, designing retirement plans with a combo of both. He takes us through different strategies for clients to get the best allocations for their money over the long term. It is the Combo Strategy of both Offense and Defense, the synergy of the mix, not ‘All or Nothing’. Full Show: Segment 2: Cybersecurity Response Plan w/ Frank Grimmelmann of ACTRA - AZ TRT S06 EP03 (264) 2-9-2025 What We Learned This Week ACTRA Arizona Cyber Threat Response Alliance Cyber threats affect everyone from Gov’t to business to private and growing Companies need to be responsive with speed to be effective + share information of attacks ACTRA has members from both government and private sector ACTRA helped create a state cybersecurity response model that other states can use Guest: Frank Grimmelmann President & CEO/Intelligence Liaison Officer Mr. Grimmelmann also serves as Co-Chair (together with Arizona's Chief Information Security Officer) for the Arizona Cybersecurity Team (‘ACT’), created through the Governor’s Executive Order signed in March 2018. He also serves as a Founding Member of the National Leadership Group for the Information Sharing & Analysis Organization Standards Organization (‘ISAO SO’) at the University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA), created under the President’s Executive Order 13691 in February 2015. As ACTRA’s leader, Mr. Grimmelmann was invited as the first private sector representative in the Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center (ACTIC) and served as its first private sector Executive Board representative from 2014-2019. He presently acts as ACTRA’s designated private sector liaison to ACTRA’s Key Agency and other non-Member Stakeholders. Full Show: Segment 3: Futuristic EV Designer Sports Car w/ Nikita Bridan of Oilstainlab - AZ TRT S06 EP02 (263) 1-26-2025 What We Learned This Week Oilstain Lab creates high end retro futuristic designer sports car - in EV models EV Car Designers for Gearheads who hate EVs All the capabilities of a sports car, on a liteweight carbon fiber frame, + sound & an electric motor Inspired by the race cars of Italy & classic 1960s sports cars Guest: Nikita Bridan, Co-Founder, CEO Nikita Bridan is co-founder & chief executive officer of Oilstainlab. A car design strategist with 15 years of OEM and startup experience, Nikita has worked with world-renowned brands including Lyft, Cruise, GM, Toyota, Genesis, ONE, and more on electrification, platforms, and strategy. In 2019, Nikita co-founded Oilstainlab with his twin brother, Iliya, as an automotive design consultancy service and playground, and developed it into a boundary-pushing, custom vehicle manufacturer. Nikita lives his life as fast as the cars he builds, once being pulled over at 140mph in Arizona and getting off with a warning. Nikita earned bachelor’s degrees in Transportation Design from the Istitudo Europeo di Design in Italy and the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California, where he now serves as an instructor to the next generation of designers. Leading a New Generation of Automotive with Oilstainlab Co-Founder Nikita Bridan The future of automotive design is in the hands of twin brothers, Nikita and Iliya Bridan. The founders of Oilstainlab have turned heads worldwide with their automotive creations, most notably the Half-11, its half Porsche-half Formula 1 race car that pays homage to the golden age of motor racing. Full Show: Segment 4 Machine Learning (AI) Onsite w/ Eddi Weinwurm of Obvious Future - AZ TRT S06 EP01 (262) 1-5-2025 What We Learned This Week Obvious Future is building Machine Learning (AI) programs to be used onsite for a business Corporate Data is too sensitive to be in the cloud / internet Business cannot use cloud AI programs like ChatGPT, Google Cloud, etc because of IP and privacy concerns Large Language Models are not necessary, have more data than needed, can have smaller AI programs tailored for business Guest: Eddi Weinwurm AI is top of mind for most enterprises…but most don’t know the risks especially in the cloud. Eddi Weinwurm is a co-founder and CEO of Obvious Future an AI company with a new approach to keeping AI local and secure. Eddi Weinwurm has many years of experience in both the development of media management software and AI. As a visionary he formed the company to address critical enterprises in the growing AI market. ObviousFuture Resident AI: Faster, Safer, and Transforming Enterprise AI Eddi Weinwurm co-founder and CEO of ObviousFuture is on a mission to make AI safer and faster for enterprises. , a trailblazer in secure and private AI solutions, will be unveiling a disruptive AI solution for the enterprise on December 18—Resident AI. This solution empowers enterprises to harness the full potential of AI while safeguarding their data locally, marking a critical evolution in the AI landscape. ObviousFuture's Resident AI operates entirely on-premise, solving a $500 billion market problem by addressing vulnerabilities like data privacy risks, compliance challenges, and vendor lock-ins. The company is focused on key sectors such as government, defense, surveillance, medical, and media. Early adopters, have achieved ROI within just two months of deployment of the Resident AI platform. Full Show: Biotech Shows: AZ Tech Council Shows: *Includes show from 2/12/2023 Tech Topic: Best of Tech: ‘Best Of’ Topic: Thanks for Listening. Please Subscribe to the AZ TRT Podcast. AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more… AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: ‘Best Of’ AZ TRT Podcast: Podcast on Google: Podcast on Spotify: More Info: KFNX Info: Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the Hosts, Guests and Speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent (or affiliates, members, managers, employees or partners), or any Station, Podcast Platform, Website or Social Media that this show may air on. All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes. Nothing said on this program should be considered advice or recommendations in: business, legal, real estate, crypto, tax accounting, investment, etc. Always seek the advice of a professional in all business ventures, including but not limited to: investments, tax, loans, legal, accounting, real estate, crypto, contracts, sales, marketing, other business arrangements, etc. /episode/index/show/brt-show/id/37444515

LiquidTrust: A New Era of Cross-Border Payment Protection for Small Business w/ Saujin Yi - AZ TRT S06 EP11 (273) 6-29-2025 07/10/2025

LiquidTrust: A New Era of Cross-Border Payment Protection for Small Business w/ Saujin Yi - AZ TRT S06 EP11 (273) 6-29-2025 LiquidTrust: A New Era of Cross-Border Payment Protection for Small Business w/ Saujin Yi - AZ TRT S06 EP11 (273) 6-29-2025 What We Learned This Week · SMBs Face Major Risk in Cross-Border Payments Small businesses are exposed to significant risk when dealing with international suppliers, lacking the same protections that consumers receive. · Traditional Bank Wires Are Outdated for Global SMB Transactions Bank wires, SWIFT networks, and intermediary banks remain the default but are slow, costly, and offer limited recourse if something goes wrong. · Digitized Escrow Can Level the Playing Field A modernized escrow system, like Liquid Trust, can serve as a trusted middle layer in transactions, enabling secure, conditional fund releases. · Banks Are Adopting Fintech Tools for SMB Clients Liquid Trust is expanding by partnering with banks, offering them technology to better serve small businesses with secure payment processing. · A Major Gap Exists for SMB Payment Protections There's a growing opportunity to provide insurance-style protections, dispute resolution, and cash flow tools for smaller, international transactions. Guest: Saujin Yi, Founder - LiquidTrust LKIN: Tech entrepreneur, investor, and advisor focused on fintech, future of work, and backing women/minorities. Personal mission is to create a #newplayingfield. has been talking to founders and bankers who are watching a payment crisis unfold in real time— small business owners wiring full payments to overseas suppliers, only to have their goods withheld or renegotiated because tariffs shifted mid-transaction. These aren’t hypothetical’s. Inventory is being held hostage, and most of these businesses have no recourse. Saujin is the founder of , a fintech platform helping SMBs protect themselves. She talks about: · The tariff whiplash hitting cross-border supply chains · Why small businesses are exposed to all the payment risk · How new tools like LiquidTrust's Micro Escrow Pay are helping level the playing field With LiquidTrust, small businesses can wire to 175 countries with built-in counterparty verification, or opt for a holding account that only releases funds when terms are met. It's a timely conversation and offering that I think SMBs would benefit from learning about. 43% of US SMBs make global payments but 75% are unsatisfied with their current options. LiquidTrust is an innovative global pay solution tailored for the needs of small- and medium-sized businesses that also safeguards their transactions from fraud and loss. We offer 2 global payment methods: 1) Direct Pay - Fast global payments to 175 countries within 1-2 days. Safer than traditional wires, with counterparty verification for enhanced security. 2) Pay by Trust ("micro-escrows") - Escrow-like protection against fraud and loss. Offers peace of mind without complexity and high costs of traditional escrows. Of the $6.9T US import/export payment volume, 2/3 goes unprotected because current payment protection products like letters of credit are too complex and expensive. 9 out of 10 SMB owners constantly worry about fraud and loss because non-payment or non-delivery would be devastating to business survival. We partner with banks to make our self-serve, white-label solution available to their current and potential customers and capture the $9B+ revenue opportunity and related deposits. LiquidTrust builds on the foundation established by Liquid (est. 2019), evolving to meet new opportunities. Notes: Segment 1: Solving Cross-Border Payment Risk for SMBs In early 2025, small businesses began feeling the pressure of rising tariffs and payment complications with overseas vendors. For many SMBs, cross-border transactions are a daily reality—but the tools available to them haven’t kept pace with the global nature of modern commerce. The Traditional Payment Model Historically, payments to overseas partners have relied on the banking system as the intermediary. This means: · Transactions typically occur via international wire transfers. · These wires use the SWIFT network, involving multiple intermediate banks. · Funds are converted between currencies, often with unpredictable fees or delays. While this may work for large enterprises, small businesses often bear more risk in these transactions, lacking sufficient tools for protection or recourse. Many SMBs today operate a “borderless” business model—based in the U.S. but with 50% or more of their partnerships overseas. The Need for Simplicity and Trust Small businesses need a solution that is: · Reliable for both sides of the transaction · Simple to use without requiring financial expertise · Built on trust, with built-in mechanisms to reduce risk Liquid Trust introduces a new payment model for SMBs—simplifying cross-border payments through a system built around "micro escrow." Segment 2: Micro Escrow: Modern Protection for Small Deals Much like real estate uses escrow accounts to protect both buyers and sellers, Liquid Trust applies the same principle to small business payments. Traditionally, escrow has only been available for large deals. Liquid Trust brings this to small transactions by digitizing the process. Here's how it works: · A buyer can invite and verify a vendor into the platform. · Funds are held in escrow, not released until pre-set conditions are met. · A built-in dispute resolution and arbitration system ensures fairness. · The process is as simple as a "Buy Now, Pay Later" model. This transforms the transaction dynamics. Instead of the buyer taking on 100% of the risk with a wire or upfront deposit, both parties share risk more equitably—improving trust, satisfaction, and cash flow for SMBs. The Bigger Problem: Why Change the System? In the traditional system, there are “winners” and “losers”: · Winners: Vendors who receive payment up front with little risk. · Losers: Buyers who send money and hope everything works out. But smart SMBs realize that keeping vendors happy is also good business. Building long-term trust and smoother cash flow on both sides of a deal can elevate all partners. There's a clear gap in the market: SMBs have no access to tools like consumer credit protections, and banks often don’t want to get involved in smaller payments like a $20,000 invoice. It’s not profitable for them. Liquid Trust fills this gap. Segment 3: Bank Partnerships: Scaling Trust and Access Initially, Liquid Trust served SMBs directly. But a strategic pivot is now enabling banks, attorneys, and accountants to offer Liquid Trust’s technology to their small business clients. Why banks? · They are already trusted advisors for SMBs. · They need better digital tools to serve modern business clients. · They lack solutions for smaller, international transactions. With this new model, banks integrate Liquid Trust into their ecosystem, giving small businesses access to tools they never had before: protections, conditional payments, and streamlined digital processing. The Vision Behind Liquid Trust Liquid Trust was founded by an engineer with a background in finance and technology startups. Originally designed as an accounts payable solution, the platform pivoted after identifying massive friction and risk in global SMB payments. Key insights: · SMBs struggle with payment protections across borders. · Legal recourse is impractical—lawsuits are expensive and hard to enforce internationally. · Many vendors are in regions where you simply can’t “go knock on the door.” Liquid Trust, now evolving under the name Escrow Pay, has raised a seed round and is expanding into: · Financial institutions and banks · Online marketplaces · Business-to-business platforms The future of SMB payments lies in trust, transparency, and built-in protections—all delivered through easy-to-use financial technology. Biotech Shows: AZ Tech Council Shows: *Includes show from 2/12/2023 Tech Topic: Best of Tech: ‘Best Of’ Topic: Thanks for Listening. Please Subscribe to the AZ TRT Podcast. AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more… AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: ‘Best Of’ AZ TRT Podcast: Podcast on Google: Podcast on Spotify: More Info: KFNX Info: Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the Hosts, Guests and Speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent (or affiliates, members, managers, employees or partners), or any Station, Podcast Platform, Website or Social Media that this show may air on. All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes. Nothing said on this program should be considered advice or recommendations in: business, legal, real estate, crypto, tax accounting, investment, etc. Always seek the advice of a professional in all business ventures, including but not limited to: investments, tax, loans, legal, accounting, real estate, crypto, contracts, sales, marketing, other business arrangements, etc. /episode/index/show/brt-show/id/37364100

Health Insurance is Rigged & Controlled by the Big Companies w/ Donvan Ryckis of Ethos Benefits - AZ TRT S06 EP10 (272) 6-15-2025 06/19/2025

Health Insurance is Rigged & Controlled by the Big Companies w/ Donvan Ryckis of Ethos Benefits - AZ TRT S06 EP10 (272) 6-15-2025 Health Insurance is Rigged & Controlled by the Big Companies w/ Donvan Ryckis of Ethos Benefits - AZ TRT S06 EP10 (272) 6-15-2025 What We Learned This Week Health Insurance is primarily run by the Big 4 - BUCA: Blue Cross United Healthcare, CIGNA, Aetna To Insurance Co’s – Premium = Revenue, and they are not going lower profits, so no incentive to lower costs Health insurance employer group plans can be broken down into 4 Parts Network PPO is what people typically think of when they think of health insurance There have been revisions to the Healthcare Act passed in 2021 Guest: Donovan Ryckis, Ethos Benefits Our Ethos is Simple: Fiduciary First. Act in the best interest of those we serve—no matter the cost. ‘Ethos’ represents the guiding principle, character, or spirit of a person or organization. It’s the ‘why’ that drives decision-making and fuel’s purpose. Our Ethos is deeply rooted in the story of our Founder, Donovan Ryckis. Over a decade ago, Donovan, a fiduciary Series 65 securities advisor specializing in retirement and pension planning, was approached by a client facing a dire situation. The client’s publicly traded broker claimed there was no solution for a staggering 37.5% health insurance renewal increase—a cost that threatened the business and its employees. With no prior experience in health insurance markets but guided by his unwavering fiduciary principles, Donovan took on the challenge. The result? He mitigated the risk entirely, delivering a solution 12% below the current rate. This allowed the business to thrive and ensured hundreds of employees wouldn’t have to choose between basic necessities and skyrocketing health premiums. That moment sparked a revelation. The fraud, waste, and abuse Donovan had fought in retirement planning paled in comparison to the challenges in healthcare. He saw an opportunity to bring transparency and fiduciary principles to an industry in desperate need of change. Donovan pivoted his career, becoming one of the first fee-based health insurance advisors in the nation. By removing all conflicts of interest in broker compensation, he laid the foundation for what is now the leading innovative employee benefits agency in the country, delivering higher quality care at a significantly lower cost to employers nationwide. Notes: Ethos Benefits deals with employee benefits, with a primary focus on group health insurance Per Donovan ‘Employee benefits are rigged’ Insurance company premium equals revenue. There is no incentive to lower cost, as it would lower profits. ACA Obamacare passed in 2010, and it capped profits for insurance companies at 20% Insurance Co’s are working to expand their pool to make more profit Health Insurance guarantees inflation keeps going up, so family of 4 could spend 35K a year For a business, healthcare cost and employee benefits are a top 3 P&L expense Ethos strategies can create a 30 to 40% reduction on premium impact to lower costs for a business The HQ is in Florida, but they are a virtual office with agents and clients nationwide Healthcare finance and delivery + Improving employee benefits Seg 1 Donovan’s bio, he was a financial advisor with a Series 65 license before he got into health insurance. Around 2014 he moved into health insurance seeing an opportunity for better service. Typically you see agents who are working for the health insurance company and not really working for the employer companies they are selling to. Health insurance is primarily run by the Big 4 – BUCA: Blue Cross United Healthcare, CIGNA, Aetna. Health insurance employer group plans can be broken down into 4 Parts: 1. TPA or third-party administrator 2. Network PPO or HMO 3. Pharmacy benefit RX 4. Insurance that covers the caps the limits on the stop loss PPO is your primary network and open on using referrals HMO is a non-preferred network typically has less offerings and tight on referrals Ethos Benefits helps employers to break up the four parts of a group plan and customize Network PPO is what people typically think of when they think of health insurance. Network and the Big 4 health companies have a tighter deal with doctors and contract prices. A lot is pre-negotiated with a set of rates, which is the point of a PPO. This is where you get larger claims and they run in the system of healthcare. Seg 2 Pay more for healthcare in the U.S. than the rest of the world The biggest pharmaceutical companies are in the US Pharmaceutical companies in flight prices, and also set the prices They make money through spread pricing Employers can actually pick up their own Pharma benefit and get the rebates that the big health insurance companies are not giving them Healthcare system is a rigged game The fraud waste and abuse extremely high in health 401(k) and retirement benefit industry is actually tighter with more disclosure than the healthcare industry Regulated better since the creation of the Securities Act in the 1930s and updates that ran through the 1970s and beyond with things like ERISA There have been revisions to the healthcare act passed in 2021 - started in Jan.2022 Actions had 3 disclosures: · Brokers comp and bonus · Data with gag, clauses, and full access to data upon request · Benchmarking for drug cost Further Notes via Google: The revisions you are likely referring to are part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (CAA). While the CAA was passed in late 2020, many of its provisions, including those related to transparency in healthcare, became effective on January 1, 2022. The three key areas of disclosure you mentioned are directly addressed within these regulations: 1. Broker's Compensation and Bonuses: The CAA amends ERISA Section 408(b)(2) and requires service providers, including brokers, to disclose specific information to group health plan fiduciaries. 2. Data Transparency (Gag Clauses and Full Access to Data): The CAA prohibits gag clauses, which prevent plans from providing access to their data. It also requires health insurance carriers to attest annually to their compliance with this prohibition. Moreover, the Health DATA Act, a proposed bill, would further reinforce the right of employers to access their data and hold service providers accountable for non-compliance. 3. Benchmarking for Drug Costs: The CAA includes provisions regarding pharmacy benefit and drug cost reporting, which aims to provide greater transparency and potentially lead to better benchmarking of drug costs. The Build Back Better Act, a separate piece of legislation, also included provisions for Medicare to negotiate drug prices, further impacting drug costs and potential benchmarking. These revisions aim to increase transparency in healthcare pricing and empower consumers and employers to make more informed decisions about their healthcare coverage. Seg 3 Ethos works with Employers to create business plans usually with a 3 to 5 year time horizon. The goal is long-term to lower healthcare cost. Example would be a company with 100 employees with 50 to 80% of them on the health plan (does not include dependents). Ethos wants to keep the demands of a company low, easy transition. Ethos handles employee Qs and healthcare navigation. Ethos is full service. Risk handled 1 of 4 ways - Reduce, avoid, retain, transfer - Transfer to insurance Broker wants to transfer risk Company can control costs Careful not to have too much disruption with a switch to a new company Ex - start with pharmacy part NDC National Drug Code Run report vs costs Pharmacy benefit mgr Pre packaged health plan Gets co approved pharmacy benefit Save 5 - 15% on costs (30%) Separate - parts of group plan Seg 4 Brokers comp - incentives from big insurance companies Opening move - edit pharmacy benefit piece State by state - regulators and rules Employers / employees Know the network and PPO Nationwide covers insurance part – Stop-loss Insurance 30-40 major stop loss companies Ex: Allstate Met Life Sun Life Stop-loss insurance for group health plans acts as a financial safety net for self-funded employers, protecting them from large, unpredictable medical claims. It is a form of additional insurance. Healthcare risk is incredibly predictable on group basis Overall predictable w stats, actuarial analysis Gag clauses look at dataset from current carrier Prescription database sets 3rd party admin are less of a concern, lots of claims Average of 18 claims per employee per year, includes dependents Data - review AI Claims analytics software AI claims analytics software is transforming how insurance companies handle claims by leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyze data, automate tasks, and improve decision-making. 30 - 40% reduction in premium w Ethos Further Notes via Google: Group Medical Plans Breakdown of the common components of a comprehensive employer group health plan, particularly within the context of a self-funded model. Here's a more detailed explanation of each part: 1. TPA (Third-Party Administrator): A TPA is a company that provides administrative services for self-funded health plans. This includes processing claims, handling enrollment, and managing other administrative tasks that would typically be done by an insurance company. 2. Network (PPO or HMO): This refers to the group of doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare providers that the health plan contracts with to provide services to its members. The network defines where employees can go to receive care and often dictates the level of coverage they will receive (e.g., in-network vs. out-of-network benefits). · PPO (Preferred Provider Organization): Offers more flexibility, allowing members to see out-of-network providers, though with higher out-of-pocket costs. · HMO (Health Maintenance Organization): Typically requires members to stay within the network for covered services, except in emergencies. Pharmacy Benefit (RX): This component manages the prescription drug coverage for the plan. It includes negotiating drug prices, processing claims for prescriptions, and managing the plan's formulary (list of covered drugs). Stop-Loss Insurance: This is a crucial element for self-funded employers. It protects the employer from catastrophic claim costs. If an individual employee or the entire group's claims exceed a certain threshold (the "attachment point"), the stop-loss insurance kicks in to cover the excess costs, limiting the employer's financial liability. Additional Considerations: · Data Access: Self-funded plans often provide employers with greater access to claims data, which can be used to analyze healthcare costs, identify trends, and implement strategies to improve employee health and manage costs. · Benchmarking: Employers can use claims data and industry benchmarks to compare their plan's performance to similar organizations and negotiate better rates with providers and other vendors. · Wellness Programs: Some employers offer wellness programs to encourage employees to adopt healthy behaviors and potentially reduce healthcare costs. · Essential Health Benefits (ACA Compliance): Group health plans must comply with the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which requires them to cover a list of essential health benefits, such as outpatient care, emergency services, hospitalization, and prescription drugs. · Other Benefits: Group plans can also include other benefits, such as dental, vision, life insurance, and long- and short-term disability insurance. Understanding these different parts is essential for employers to effectively manage their group health plan, control costs, and provide valuable benefits to their employees. Investing Shows: ‘Best Of’ Topic: Thanks for Listening. Please Subscribe to the AZ TRT Podcast. AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more… AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: ‘Best Of’ AZ TRT Podcast: Podcast on Google: Podcast on Spotify: More Info: KFNX Info: Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the Hosts, Guests and Speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent (or affiliates, members, managers, employees or partners), or any Station, Podcast Platform, Website or Social Media that this show may air on. All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes. Nothing said on this program should be considered advice or recommendations in: business, legal, real estate, crypto, tax accounting, investment, etc. Always seek the advice of a professional in all business ventures, including but not limited to: investments, tax, loans, legal, accounting, real estate, crypto, contracts, sales, marketing, other business arrangements, etc. /episode/index/show/brt-show/id/37079955

5 Types of Income to Create Infinite Income - AZ TRT S06 EP09 (271) 5-25-2025 06/18/2025

5 Types of Income to Create Infinite Income - AZ TRT S06 EP09 (271) 5-25-2025 5 Types of Income to Create Infinite Income - AZ TRT S06 EP09 (271) 5-25-2025 What We Learned This Week Multiple Streams of Income strategy 5 Types of Income – Career, Investment, Retirement Account, Pension, Tax Free Diversification of income provides you security and freedom Build Infinite Income thru initial investment, and profits pay off loans, then go on forever George Lucas created the Star Wars IP one time, and gets infinite returns from the movies & merchandise Real Estate, Business, and Insurance products are good assets for infinite income Notes: Segment 1: The 5 Types of Income – Why One Stream Isn't Enough Opening: The Economic Shift · The economic landscape has changed dramatically over the last 50 years. · While business and technology have advanced, personal finance education and systems haven’t kept pace. · Inflation has significantly eroded purchasing power. · It’s no longer the 1950s where one income could support a family of four. Now, two incomes are often required—and even then, many people have a third gig. The New Normal: Side Hustles & Financial Reality · According to recent stats, 70% of people need an additional income stream, often from a side business or freelance work. · 30% of Americans hold a second job. · Among millennials, that number rises to 50%. The Lesson from Robert Allen & Rich Dad, Poor Dad · Robert Allen’s Multiple Streams of Income advocated for income diversification to gain safety and freedom. · Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad, Poor Dad emphasized acquiring income-producing assets—his favorite being real estate. The 5 Types of Income 1. Career or Business Income Your primary, day-to-day W-2 income—pays the bills and covers monthly expenses. 2. Investment Income Comes from appreciating or income-producing assets like real estate, stocks, or Bitcoin. 3. Retirement Accounts Tax-deferred income sources like IRAs or 401(k)s—subject to rules and penalties but critical for long-term planning. 4. Guaranteed Income Comes from pensions, annuities, or Social Security. Designed for lifetime income and stability. 5. Tax-Free Income Generated through Roth IRAs or cash value from life insurance. You pay tax on the seed, not the harvest. Call to Action: · Make a list of which of the five types of income you currently have. · Strategize how to build the remaining ones for a balanced, resilient financial future. Analogy: Just like a business has multiple products or a sports team has multiple ways to score, individuals should have diverse income sources to win financially. Segment 2: Infinite Income – Building Streams That Never Run Dry What Is Infinite Income? · Infinite income is ongoing, residual income that continues long after the original work or investment. · It’s the financial holy grail: put in work or money once, get paid over and over. Key Assets That Can Generate Infinite Income: · Tangible Assets: Real estate, businesses, stocks · Intangible Assets: Skills, knowledge, intellectual property (IP), network Examples of Infinite Income in Action 1. Real Estate · Buy a $250K property with 10% down ($25K). · Renters pay the mortgage; property appreciates. · Refinance later, pull out your original investment tax-free. · Continue collecting rental income even after loan is paid off. · Use refinance funds to buy more properties → Repeat → Scale. 2. Business Ownership · Start or buy a business using a loan. · Profits pay off the loan, then continue to generate revenue. · Later, use the business as collateral to expand or acquire another. 3. Life Insurance (IUL Strategy) · Fund a policy over time; cash value grows tax-deferred. · Take loans against the policy tax-free—used as supplemental retirement income. · Policy can also be a legacy tool, passing on wealth tax-free. 4. Intellectual Property (IP) · George Lucas with Star Wars—created once, profits for decades from merchandise and licensing. · Jeff Bezos still profits from Amazon stock, 30 years later. · Microsoft, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola—IP and systems built once, revenue continues for decades. · DC Comics still profiting off Superman IP created in the 1930s. Key Principles for Building Infinite Income · Choose the Right Assets: Real estate, businesses, IULs—not just assets that appreciate, but ones that cash flow. · Leverage and Scale: Use debt wisely to scale income-producing assets. Wealthy individuals and private equity firms use this strategy constantly. o Example: PE firms acquire HVAC companies, funeral homes, rental properties—assets that provide consistent 10%+ returns. · Use Tax Strategy to Your Advantage: o Tax-free income is more efficient. o Lowering your tax burden increases your net income immediately. o Wealthy individuals use loans, Roths, and life insurance to optimize tax efficiency. Mindset Shift: · Don’t chase just “buy low/sell high” assets. Instead, acquire harvestable assets—ones that generate regular income and can appreciate. · Build cash flow now, use it to reinvest in more assets—repeat the cycle. Closing Thought: · Control three things: Assets, Income, Taxes. · Master those, and you create not just wealth—but infinite income. Investing Shows: ‘Best Of’ Topic: Thanks for Listening. Please Subscribe to the AZ TRT Podcast. AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more… AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: ‘Best Of’ AZ TRT Podcast: Podcast on Google: Podcast on Spotify: More Info: KFNX Info: Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the Hosts, Guests and Speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent (or affiliates, members, managers, employees or partners), or any Station, Podcast Platform, Website or Social Media that this show may air on. All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes. Nothing said on this program should be considered advice or recommendations in: business, legal, real estate, crypto, tax accounting, investment, etc. Always seek the advice of a professional in all business ventures, including but not limited to: investments, tax, loans, legal, accounting, real estate, crypto, contracts, sales, marketing, other business arrangements, etc. /episode/index/show/brt-show/id/37060185

Artificial Intelligence (AI) – how the Algorithm Connects Us All Revisited - AZ TRT 2.0 – S06 EP08 (270) 5-11-2025 06/17/2025

Artificial Intelligence (AI) – how the Algorithm Connects Us All Revisited - AZ TRT 2.0 – S06 EP08 (270) 5-11-2025 Artificial Intelligence (AI) – how the Algorithm Connects Us All Revisited AZ TRT 2.0 – S06 EP08 (270) 5-11-2025 What We Learned This Week: AI is inter-connected with so many technologies & you use AI often on a daily basis AI is a part of almost all industries from Healthcare, Finance to Defense Human in the Loop - humans will always be needed to Interpret the Data, but AI will assist Software Teams must be managed so the product is integrated properly in the bigger picture Moore’s Law – Each year computing power grows 2x as fast, but cuts the cost in half Guests: Naru (Narendran Muraleedharan), CEO / Founder of StaxAI – formerly Inventives & Aptus AI Bio: At Stax.ai, we empower retirement plan TPAs to streamline operations, enhance productivity, and deliver exceptional client experiences. Our innovative platform automates census data collection, payroll integrations, trust accounting, and client communication, all while providing actionable insights through AI-driven tools. Trusted by TPAs managing thousands of plans, Stax.ai transforms administrative burdens into seamless workflows, enabling you to focus on what matters most—growing your business and strengthening client relationships. Past Bio: Inventives / Aptus AI is a software solutions and artificial intelligence development and consulting firm. They provide aerospace, mechanical, and software engineering services to companies around the world. The Team is strong, and well-rounded consisting of engineers, developers, and physicists that focus on solving problems at the root. They help take ideas or concepts and build prototypes and deployments in very short periods of time with tight budgets while maintaining the best quality and client satisfaction. The main fields of expertise are RPA, Web App Development, Solutions Architecture, Artificial Intelligence, Computer Vision, and Simulation Systems. Note**: This interview was recorded in Oct. 2021 (S02 EP 43 (90) 10-24-21), since then Naru has changed the company name. Also, the BRT podcast has changed to AZ Tech Roundtable. Notes: Seg. 2 - 4 Naru returns to the show talking tech, software, and AI. His team is always developing new applications with AI in healthcare, finance, biotech, & aerospace. Naru shows how so many technologies are connected and what the future of business looks like. Inventives is the new company, with the same core technology team, but focusing the business into a venture studio by creating new AI projects for companies not yet using AI. Inventives new projects can become spinoff companies with this new technology. They work with B2B clients and also Investors for these types of companies. Radiology is a current project to enhance the patient experience using AI – called SKIP. This project is on the Operations side to make the patient process of paperwork, payments, etc. to be automated (& efficient) with AI working with the patient. This will be stand alone, but if adopted by other medical offices over the long term can streamline the healthcare industry. Naru and his team are working on document management, where their AI program will be able to read documents and determine what the info is. Rising Cloud is another project they are building that manages a company cloud usage to improve costs. Moore’s Law – Each year computing power grows 2x as fast, but cuts the cost in half Cloud Computing happens in the cloud and internet for your programming vs Edge Computing that happens right on your phone and does not need to go out to the cloud. Bigger the data request or process determines if Cloud or Edge is the best choice. People interact with AI (Artificial Intelligence) daily on their phone, email, internet search and beyond. User Agreements in your phone or websites you use say they can take your search data and use it to enhance your experience. AI Search uses past searches by you, vs what are the popular other searches by other people on the internet. It happens so fast and has the best / popular search options loading before you are even done typing. This is called a Recommendation Engine, just like Netflix or Amazon find shows or products you may like. These recs are similar to what you have watched or bought previously, or in similar genres. The downside is you may not see different options, just more of the same. AI determines what you see daily on the internet, and can create a silo effect. Inventives uses a common solution, called Human in the Loop to review what the AI is doing. Then the searches or recommendations are reviewed to see how accurate they are. Healthcare AI is assisting doctors, and even finding issues that humans have missed in a radiology study. AI has no bias, and does not get tired. The computer can repeat processes and be consistent. Key technologies of the day are constantly overlapping – AI, Big Data, Cloud, SaaS Software, etc. This tech can work with each other, and new software can build on top of these applications. Open AI created a product with AI that builds AI software. Naru’s Software Teams have different backgrounds of math, engineering or physics who are self taught on software and think more about the solution vs thinking in terms of coding. There are small groups of 2 to 4 people in a team with a Solutions Architect running the small team and determining how the software interacts in the bigger picture. Often some of the best software involved very small teams. Lot of testing and compliance control goes into to creating big software projects that can involve multiple teams. Same issue if building an upgrade to a software that merges with the previous version. Rewind Clip (Seg. 1) – Replay of a segment from Naru’s last appearance on BRT in 11/2020 He talks AI and the morality of the technology. How can a programmer control their product, and what it will be used for in the real world. Naru chose the name Aptus because it is Latin for Apt or Appropriate – design products that works for the clients Chaos Theory / Jurassic Park – Just because you can do it, doesn’t mean you should Aptus gets defense contracts as sub-contractor of companies partnered with military. Aptus studies the end applications for what they are requested to build, to determine if they will take the project. Morality is considered, but not always applicable to see where a product may go until it is built. AI software is programmed to build more software, AI building more AI. Per Naru there are companies trying to develop AI weapons that can kill on their own, and robots being controlled by AI already. Aptus has Liability Insurance to protect their projects. ‘Best Of’ Topic: Thanks for Listening. Please Subscribe to the AZ TRT Podcast. AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more… AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: ‘Best Of’ AZ TRT Podcast: Podcast on Google: Podcast on Spotify: More Info: KFNX Info: Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the Hosts, Guests and Speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent (or affiliates, members, managers, employees or partners), or any Station, Podcast Platform, Website or Social Media that this show may air on. All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes. Nothing said on this program should be considered advice or recommendations in: business, legal, real estate, crypto, tax accounting, investment, etc. Always seek the advice of a professional in all business ventures, including but not limited to: investments, tax, loans, legal, accounting, real estate, crypto, contracts, sales, marketing, other business arrangements, etc. /episode/index/show/brt-show/id/37043985

AI Arms Race from ChatGPT to Deepseek - AZ TRT S06 EP08 (269) 4-20-2025 04/24/2025

AI Arms Race from ChatGPT to Deepseek - AZ TRT S06 EP08 (269) 4-20-2025 AI Arms Race from ChatGPT to Deepseek - AZ TRT S06 EP08 (269) 4-20-2025 What We Learned This Week AI Arms Race is real with the major tech co’s involved ChatGPT by OpenAI is considering the top chat AI program Google has Gemini (was Bard), Microsoft has CoPilot, Amazon has Claude / Alexa Deepseek is a startup from China that has disrupted AI landscape with a more cost effective AI model Costs and investment $ dollars into AI is being rethought as Deepseek spent millions $ vs Silicon Valley spending billions $ Notes: Seg 1: Major Tech Giants AI Programs - Gemini (was Bard) Developed by Google, Gemini is known for its multimodal capabilities and integration with Google Search. It can analyze images, understand verbal prompts, and engage in verbal conversations. ChatGPT Developed by OpenAI, ChatGPT is known for its versatility and platform-agnostic solution for text generation and learning. It can write code in almost any language, and can also be used to provide research assistance, generate writing prompts, and answer questions. Microsoft Copilot Developed by Microsoft, Copilot is known for its integration with applications like Word, Excel, and Power BI. It's particularly well-suited for document automation. Amazon Alexa w/ Claude - Improved AI Model: Claude is a powerful AI model from Anthropic, known for its strengths in natural language processing and conversational AI, as noted in the video and other sources. (1969-2010): The Third Industrial Revolution, or the Digital Revolution, was marked by the automation of production through the use of computers, information technology, and the internet. This era saw the widespread adoption of digital technologies, including programmable logic controllers and robots. (2010-present): The Fourth Industrial Revolution, also known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, is characterized by the integration of digital technologies, including the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), big data, and cyber-physical systems, into manufacturing and industrial processes. This era is focused on creating "smart factories" and "smart products" that can communicate and interact with each other, leading to increased efficiency, customization, and sustainability. Top AI programs include a range of software, platforms, and resources for learning and working with artificial intelligence. Some of the most popular AI software tools include Viso Suite, ChatGPT, Jupyter Notebooks, and Google Cloud AI Platform, while popular AI platforms include and . Educational resources like 's AI Professional Certificate and 's practical deep learning course also offer valuable learning opportunities. ChatGPT is a developed by and launched in 2022. It is based on (LLMs) such as . ChatGPT can generate human-like conversational responses and enables users to refine and steer a conversation towards a desired length, format, style, level of detail, and language. It is credited with accelerating the , which has led to ongoing rapid investment in and public attention to the field of (AI). Some observers have raised concern about the potential of ChatGPT and similar programs to displace , enable , or fuel . OpenAI was founded in December 2015 by Sam Altman, Greg Brockman, Elon Musk, Ilya Sutskever, Wojciech Zaremba, and John Schulman. The founding team combined their diverse expertise in technology entrepreneurship, machine learning, and software engineering to create an organization focused on advancing artificial intelligence in a way that benefits humanity. Elon Musk is no longer involved in OpenAI, and Sam Altman is the current CEO of the organization. ChatGPT has had a profound influence on the evolution of AI, paving the way for advancements in natural language understanding and generation. It has demonstrated the effectiveness of transformer-based models for language tasks, which has encouraged other AI researchers to adopt and refine this architecture. The model's success has also stimulated interest in LLMs, leading to a wave of research and development in this area. Seg 2: DeepSeek is a private Chinese company founded in July 2023 by Liang Wenfeng, a graduate of Zhejiang University, one of China's top universities, who funded the startup via his hedge fund, to the MIT Technology Review. Liang has about $8 billion in assets, Ives wrote in a Jan. 27 research note. Chinese startup DeepSeek's launch of its latest AI models, which it says are on a par or better than industry-leading models in the United States at a fraction of the cost, is threatening to upset the technology world order. The company has attracted attention in global AI circles after writing in a paper last month that the training of DeepSeek-V3 required less than $6 million worth of computing power from Nvidia H800 chips. DeepSeek's AI Assistant, powered by DeepSeek-V3, has rival ChatGPT to become the top-rated free application available on Apple's App Store in the United States. This has raised doubts about the reasoning behind some U.S. tech companies' decision to pledge billions of dollars in AI investment and of several big tech players, including Nvidia, have been hit. NVIDIA Blackwell Ultra Enables AI ReasoningThe NVIDIA GB300 NVL72 connects 72 Blackwell Ultra GPUs and 36 Arm Neoverse-based in a rack-scale design, acting as a single massive GPU built for test-time scaling. With the NVIDIA GB300 NVL72, AI models can access the platform’s increased compute capacity to explore different solutions to problems and break down complex requests into multiple steps, resulting in higher-quality responses. GB300 NVL72 is also expected to be available on , an end-to-end, fully managed AI platform on leading clouds that optimizes performance with software, services and AI expertise for evolving workloads. ™ with DGX GB300 systems uses the GB300 NVL72 rack design to provide customers with a turnkey AI factory. The NVIDIA HGX B300 NVL16 features 11x faster inference on large language models, 7x more compute and 4x larger memory compared with the Hopper generation to deliver breakthrough performance for the most complex workloads, such as AI reasoning. AZ TRT Shows – related to AI Topic Link: + Biotech Shows: AZ Tech Council Shows: *Includes show from 2/12/2023 Tech Topic: Best of Tech: ‘Best Of’ Topic: Thanks for Listening. Please Subscribe to the AZ TRT Podcast. AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more… AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: ‘Best Of’ AZ TRT Podcast: Podcast on Google: Podcast on Spotify: More Info: KFNX Info: Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the Hosts, Guests and Speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent (or affiliates, members, managers, employees or partners), or any Station, Podcast Platform, Website or Social Media that this show may air on. All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes. Nothing said on this program should be considered advice or recommendations in: business, legal, real estate, crypto, tax accounting, investment, etc. Always seek the advice of a professional in all business ventures, including but not limited to: investments, tax, loans, legal, accounting, real estate, crypto, contracts, sales, marketing, other business arrangements, etc. /episode/index/show/brt-show/id/36296535

Tech Productivity - AZ TRT S06 EP06 (267) 3-23-2025 04/17/2025

Tech Productivity - AZ TRT S06 EP06 (267) 3-23-2025 Tech Productivity - AZ TRT S06 EP06 (267) 3-23-2025 What We Learned This Week ChatGPT is an AI chatbot, developed by OpenAI, that can engage in human-like conversations ChatGPT can read docs, edit docs, answer Qs, and transcribe Elevenreader – app that turns any document into audio Google Drive – office suite of tools for spreadsheets, docs, powerpoints, & more Todoist – task management program Pocket – web research tool that saves & organizes links Guest: Denver Nowicz, President - Wealth For Life Denver is an advisor with nearly 20 years experience working with clients in investments and insurance, designing retirement plans with a combo of both. He takes us through different strategies for clients to get the best allocations for their money over the long term. It is the Combo Strategy of both Offense and Defense, the synergy of the mix, not ‘All or Nothing’. Notes: Seg 1 ChatGPT is an AI chatbot, developed by OpenAI, that can engage in human-like conversations and generate various text formats, including articles, emails, and code, based on the prompts it receives. Denver uses ChatGPT daily for both business and personal use You can have live interaction with ChatGPT where you can actually talk with the AI program using a microphone Example of this, Denver had to fix his boat motor and suspected something was wrong with the fuel line. Able to turn on the camera on his computer to show it to ChatGPT who helped diagnose the problem in real time. Another example is you can use ChatGPT for cooking to help with recipes It’s important to understand how you frame the questions to ChatGPT, to get the best answer as possible. ChatGPT can create work docs and summary docs. Common use is as an editor to what you write. Denver uses ChatGPT to help with his weekly newsletter. He will voice text into his phone the Notes. Then he copies those notes into the AI program and it helps create and write the newsletter. Then Denver can make edits on it. Can also upload previous docs that you have written, so the AI can figure out your writing style, and philosophy. Then the AI can write future docs in your style. The speed of AI is amazing where it literally saves you time and makes you more efficient. AI program can even read PDFs and screenshots, or you can give it a link to a video and it can pull the audio transcript. AI can be used as a teacher to discover new things, and even as a psychologist. There is a tech arms race going on in AI with programs like Microsoft Copilot, Google Bard, ChatGPT, and now Deepseek. Seg 2 Productivity apps recommended by Denver Many of the apps he uses are free or a very low cost, here are some he likes: Elevenreader AI voice app Turns any document into an audiobook. This can be time saving as you can listen to it vs reading it. App also has a library to store your audiobooks. Google Drive Has a number of programs you can use like docs, storage, PowerPoint, share forms, and folders with people, an easy to tag and organize Todoist task management program The program can also sync up with your Google calendar, so you can voice task, text a task and then categorize it Carl Pullen on time blocking – YouTube link: Pocket - web research tool so you can save links of website websites you search Also can organize your web, searches and links, and it saved in an app on your phone Search features in categorize in a folder Visual dashboard with links Very good to use with work or especially if you’re saving notes for a newsletter Wealth for Life Shows: + Investing Shows: ‘Best Of’ Topic: Thanks for Listening. Please Subscribe to the AZ TRT Podcast. AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more… AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: ‘Best Of’ AZ TRT Podcast: Podcast on Google: Podcast on Spotify: More Info: KFNX Info: Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the Hosts, Guests and Speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent (or affiliates, members, managers, employees or partners), or any Station, Podcast Platform, Website or Social Media that this show may air on. All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes. Nothing said on this program should be considered advice or recommendations in: business, legal, real estate, crypto, tax accounting, investment, etc. Always seek the advice of a professional in all business ventures, including but not limited to: investments, tax, loans, legal, accounting, real estate, crypto, contracts, sales, marketing, other business arrangements, etc. /episode/index/show/brt-show/id/36215080

Palantir Technologies, CEO Alex Karp & the New Era of Tech Defense Contractors - AZ TRT S06 EP05 (266) 3-9-2025 04/11/2025

Palantir Technologies, CEO Alex Karp & the New Era of Tech Defense Contractors - AZ TRT S06 EP05 (266) 3-9-2025 Palantir Technologies, CEO Alex Karp & the New Era of Tech Defense Contractors - AZ TRT S06 EP05 (266) 3-9-2025 What We Learned This Week Palantir - AI powered automation for every decision Palantir is named after the all seeing stone in Lord of the Rings Software integrates with company software to allow for searching and use of big data Palantir mission is for more accountability within Government Palantir has contracts with the U.S. Government helping with security and fighting terrorism Notes: Palantir Technologies & CEO Alex Karp Karp background in academics and philosophy, also Stanford law Palantir founders Karp & Joe Lonsdale worked together at PayPal, funded by Peter Thiel Was not profitable for 3 years - one of the secrets of Silicon Valley, build around an idea, work on how you’re going to make money off of it later Passion project, so need people who are dedicated, not just money driven Every text, email, business, it has all data and need to save somewhere Big data and data centers are one of the fastest growing industries and along with machine learning affect so many aspects of our life, both business, and personal Dataset and Data mining are thriving industries Palantir Technologies Inc. is an American publicly traded company that specializes in software platforms for . Headquartered in , Colorado, it was founded by , , , and in 2003. The company has four main projects: Palantir Gotham, Palantir Foundry, Palantir Apollo, and Palantir AIP. Palantir Gotham is an intelligence and defense tool used by militaries and analysts. Its customers included the (USIC) and . Their (SaaS) is one of five offerings authorized for Mission Critical National Security Systems (IL5) by the U.S. Department of Defense. Palantir Foundry is used for data integration and analysis by corporate clients such as , , , , , and . Palantir Apollo is a platform to facilitate across all environments. Palantir's original clients were federal agencies of the . It has since expanded its customer base to serve both international as well as state and local governments, and also to private companies. Palantir software connects data, analytics, and operations to help organizations make decisions and improve efficiency. Palantir's software is used by government agencies and commercial enterprises. How Palantir works 1. Connects data: Palantir connects to data systems, data lakes, and platforms. 2. Analyzes data: Palantir analyzes data to find trends, relationships, and anomalies. 3. Visualizes data: Palantir visualizes data to help users understand insights. 4. Automates processes: Palantir automates processes to help users save time and improve efficiency. 5. Improves decision-making: Palantir helps users make better decisions by providing data-driven insights. Palantir has multiple platforms, including: · Palantir Gotham: Used by government agencies to detect patterns and derive insights from large amounts of data · Palantir Foundry: Used by commercial enterprises to integrate data, perform simulations, and optimize workflows · Palantir AIP: Used to deploy large language models and other AI within a private network Failure of 911 terrorist attacks where government organizations were not sharing information. Government has to be able to sift through large amounts of data, looking for a terrorist network, the old needle in a haystack. Software allows government to go thru data, and also share information. In the past governments could run spy networks only, now with computer hackers, it could be run by anybody with a computer. Hard to search for terrorist, very creative. In carps view, you have to think like an entrepreneur and be tactical when going after them. Cannot think in a static fashion, how did they do it in the past. When a terrorist is caught using a cell phone, they adapt to figure out how do they get caught and then use a different method. It’s like game theory, you have to think ahead of the terrorist and find their patterns before they even realize they are leaving pattern. Terrorist may think in different terms that society deems as destructive, but it still may be very creative, almost like an entrepreneur. Per carp, you need creative and adaptive thinkers to go after the bad guys. Cyber war is a real threat and not going anywhere. Need the government to combat it, but also must watch what the government is doing to not trample on civil liberties. Need to be able to track the data to see how the government went about things and did its targeting. Data destruction & Tag data - Know where the data came from, so government can use it lawfully. You do not want to share data with the government, and then have the government use it against you. Because of technology and computers spying is democracized, a group of three teenagers at a coffee shop can launch a cyber attack. Systems can track down where these terrorists are, and show you the patterns of who they might be even if they can identify them directly. Government and large health insurance companies already have a lot of data. The question is, how are they using it, is it being used in a lawful way? With Palantir software, you cannot only look for the terrorist, but you can also watch how the government uses the data Can use Palantir software on top of current software to work through data Palantir and SpaceX companies – achieved $ Billion dollar valuation Unicorn status Funded at loss for years, took decade to get Govt contracts Name comes from the seeing stone in Lord of the Rings Powerful technology, that can help watch over the world, has massive, ethical implications Software helps government and businesses look over data and watch on people, but can infringe on privacy - Paradox of security vs freedom Also raises questions about privacy, verse convenience, a kin to the issue with current social media Solve terrorism problem in big way Fight terrorism on a large scale, verse just smaller tactics with airport security Fight terrorism at the high-level, verse low level tech with airport security and other measures that are very cumbersome and overbearing Coordinate resources better Hard to start in defense company, and this is the next generation Palantir is coming up with a simple high-tech solution, to handle a serious and complicated problem Pre-911, government not prepared or organized to handle global terrorist threat, and many of the solutions were over the top and heavy handed Company provides targeted efficient reactions, verse broad wide solutions There is both philosophical and technological debate on how this software can and should be used They also believe they can be more transparent, show accountability, and actually prevent government overreach Check NSA and FISA courts if used, it is not Security and CIA type orgs need secrecy Palantir could track actions of these orgs for review Large organization, bureaucracy, often have outdated technology, and reporting, so hard to do oversight, can be very confusing Often these organizations want plausible deniability, so they don’t want their accounting to be reviewed, and will list expenditures under different things, this could be seen as fraud Technology is both disruptive and how it can go through data, but also disruptive that I can force accountability and bring stuff to light Creative accounting and inefficiency could come to an end. This forces people to adapt and change their ways. Human nature is not always open to this. Belief by CEO, how important it is to choose the right partner in person and business You want to work with people who will challenge your ideas, so you have the discipline and rigor to think out and give evidence behind when while your idea is right, or at the very least not wrong Scale to be plausibly right, and not wrong is very valuable in life People must be resilient enough to challenge, even their own ideas. Company, culture, fosters, and environment, where people are open to think, challenge, status quo, but also must defend their thoughts. They foster independent thought, and not just one way thinking in the company Also ambition to work on bigger national projects Future of defense contractors is in software, which they don’t have a good history with. A lot of the best defense contractors make hardware. Palantir reviewed what the government was doing to fight terrorism, and how they were spending tens of billions of dollars on it. They were spending it in the wrong way, and the process needed to be rethought. Took years to get in with government. Building software for spies and intelligence industry. Has both commercial private clients and government client. A few different products that help big organizations analyze their data using AI, and make the data more understandable. This can help a company in many ways, be more efficient, cut cost, raise profits, understand their own company better AI and data are the new languages of the modern world. There’s a lot of data and it is critical to keep it organized, but very hard. Their software goes beyond just storing and managing data. It helps them to utilize the data which is key. Silicon Valley tree - Paypal to Palantir to Anduril Anduril makes Roadrunner – takeoff software **company seems like Stark Industries Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. By bringing the expertise, technology, and business model of the 21st century’s most innovative companies to the defense industry, Anduril is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold. Anduril’s family of systems is powered by Lattice, an AI software platform that turns thousands of data streams into a realtime, 3D command and control center. As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril is committed to bringing cutting-edge AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the military in months, not years. For more information, visit Anduril Industries, Inc. is an American defense technology company that specializes in autonomous systems. It was cofounded in 2017 by inventor and entrepreneur and others. Anduril aims to sell to the , including and . Anduril's major products include (UAS) and counter-UAS (CUAS), semi-portable autonomous systems, and networked software. Related Show: Zero to One - Peter Thiel Contrarian Thinker + Disruption AZ TRT S04 EP50 (213) 12-17-2023 What We Learned This Week Contrarian Thinking – think for yourself and differently than everyone else Innovation great companies have unique products that go from Zero to one, vertical Founders are important and challenge the Status Quo to change the world Competition is for losers, strive for a Monopoly Secrets – What Great Company is No One Building? Disruption in Business & Tech World - How to Handle The Innovator's Dilemma Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future (c- 2014) Full Show: PayPal Mafia - The Founders Story & Their Battle w/ EBAY w/ Jimmy Soni - BRT S03 EP36 (135) 8-7-2022 What We Learned This Week PayPal Mafia – alumni created or involved many other co’s – Tesla, SpaceX, Palantir, Yelp, Yammer, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube & more PayPal had may contributors & a real long shot to happen during the DOTCOM Crash of 2000 Claude Shannon – creator of Information Theory, predecessor to the modern computer age, & algorithms Bell Labs was a classic Tech Incubator like Fairfield Semiconductor, Xerox Parc, Menlo Park – Edison / GE, Manhattan Project, Tuxedo Park PayPal sold to EBAY in 2002 for $1.5 Billion, prior to this, the two companies were rivals as EBAY wanted a different payment system Guest: Jimmy Soni, Author Full Show: AZ TRT 2.0 - Best of Tech Part 1 - Data Centers, IT, EV Charging, Minerals & AI Software AZ TRT S05 EP21 (236) 5-26-2024 What We Learned This Week: Host Matt on Data Centers + Energy Usage Lucian Aguayo of Redgear on IT Infrastructure Broc TenHouten of Intrinsic Power on EV Charging Brian Stevens of Neural Magic on AI Software Dr. Nick Sakharav of Reclaimed Minerals on Energy ‘Best of’ Clips from previous Tech themed aired in the first half of 2024 Full Show: Biotech Shows: AZ Tech Council Shows: *Includes show from 2/12/2023 Tech Topic: Best of Tech: ‘Best Of’ Topic: Thanks for Listening. Please Subscribe to the AZ TRT Podcast. AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more… AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: ‘Best Of’ AZ TRT Podcast: Podcast on Google: Podcast on Spotify: More Info: KFNX Info: Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the Hosts, Guests and Speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent (or affiliates, members, managers, employees or partners), or any Station, Podcast Platform, Website or Social Media that this show may air on. All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes. Nothing said on this program should be considered advice or recommendations in: business, legal, real estate, crypto, tax accounting, investment, etc. Always seek the advice of a professional in all business ventures, including but not limited to: investments, tax, loans, legal, accounting, real estate, crypto, contracts, sales, marketing, other business arrangements, etc. /episode/index/show/brt-show/id/36105570

Kenmore is Home Electricity Made Easy - Modernize the Smart Home from Appliances to the Electric Grid – Revisited w/ CEO Sri Solur - AZ TRT S06 EP04 (265) 2-23-2025 04/04/2025

Kenmore is Home Electricity Made Easy - Modernize the Smart Home from Appliances to the Electric Grid – Revisited w/ CEO Sri Solur - AZ TRT S06 EP04 (265) 2-23-2025 Kenmore is Home Electricity Made Easy - Modernize the Smart Home from Appliances to the Electric Grid – Revisited w/ CEO Sri Solur - AZ TRT S06 EP04 (265) 2-23-2025 What We Learned This Week · Kenmore is home electricity made easy. Kenmore is on a mission to modernize the home. Live More & Live Better. Also need to make it Affordable. · Clean Tech goes w/ the smart home, smart appliances (that connect to the home) and the electrical power grid for better living Electrical Grid needs to be modernized – cannot handle the current & future power demands · Homes built Pre-1990 run on Electric Panels that are outdated – costs of $40K + to modernize to handle charging EVs at home · Design of the Future House would have a Battery in it that could recharge your appliances and electronics during down hours. · Solving problems in electricity and energy also have the same issues with working on better water and clean food. It is more than just an energy and electric issue. Guest: Sri Solur, CEO, Kenmore / Brands Sri Solur is chief executive officer of brands for Kenmore at Transformco. An industry veteran with 25+ years of experience, Sri has a rich history of success leading high tech products and businesses. He previously served as CPO and GM at Berkshire Grey, a leader in industrial robotics, and was a member of the leadership team that took the company public. Sri also served as CPO at SharkNinja, and was instrumental in bringing the Shark IQ Robot vacuum and NinjaFoodi products to market, while also holding a leadership role to take the company public. Sri spent 20 years at Hewlett Packard, serving as founder and CPO of CloudPrint, the company’s wearables and IOT business. In his career, Sri has created products for world-renowned brands including Hugo Boss, Movado, Ferrari, Juicy Couture, and more. Sri holds a bachelor’s degree in Engineering from NIT and an MBA from Boston University. As approaches (April), Kenmore is empowering greener homes and people. The trusted appliance maker recently unveiled a new “” program that looks to simplify the electrification process and reduce overall costs in transitioning to electric appliances. Kenmore has set an ambitious goal with the program to electrify one million homes that will ultimately save homeowners one billion dollars over the next decade. Kenmore’s innovation and energy programs are driving a new generation of electrification for today’s home ecosystem. Some of the company’s core innovations include: Expansion of electrification and smart products for every room in the home. Addition of electrification enablers, such as smart electrical panels and dynamic Level 2 EV chargers, that help eliminate roadblocks many homeowners have in wanting to electrify their entire home. Simplifying rebate and savings programs, such as Congress’ Inflation Reduction Act, to help customers cut costs by taking advantage of available local and national funding and discounts. Building relationships with industry leaders in product, service and consumer education to supplement and amplify their mission to electrify American homes. This electric push comes as a new generation of homeowners seek to invest in smarter, greener home solutions and previous generations are coming up against new government standards making accessibility to like-for-like replacement equipment for their home obsolete. With Kenmore’s electrification program delivering a quick onramp to affordable green energy homes, homeowners of all backgrounds and budgets have a more attainable path to smart, green home adoption. Notes: Kenmore CEO and Appliances Seg. 1 Major appliances and clean tech and sustainability energy security is a big issue on the macro end. The effect on the electric grid and power lines. There is lots of demand and potential blackouts. This is a fuel and demand issue. The government and utility companies are working on clean energy. Currently they use fossil fuels and working on using less. Design of the future house would have a battery in it that could recharge your appliances and electronics storing down ours. The electric layout of most homes, especially homes built pre-1990s has an 100 amp circuit. If you have modern tech like an EV charger in your house, an electrician cannot set it up because the EV charger will blow up your 100 amp circuit. It would cost you between $20 and 60 K to upgrade a house for a modern electric set up. Kenmore will install electric panel with load balance for EV vehicles and in-home appliances. Seg. 2 Electrical layout of a house as you install new appliances. There is a booster within the inflation reduction act. There are rebates for lower income people, where it pays you for getting new appliances. 10 K instant credit for new appliances. The comparison of older appliances versus new appliances. Many older appliances may run on fossil fuels like a gas range oven or gas water heater. Older HVAC unit has more wear and tear. On a hot days and really cold days appliances operate at peak and are putting demand on the electric red. Looking for new ways of sustainable clean energy and examples hydroelectric power. You would have a back up in high demand times, where are you fire up a generator running on fossil fuels. Do you want to protect the grid for maintenance but also things like cyber attacks. One way you could do this is make all homes standalone energy producers. Peak rates for electricity or 6 to 10 PM at night. At these times electricity use taxes the grid and also taxes your wallet. Do you want to run your dishwasher post 10 PM. Seg. 3 We are moving from a world of done by you to a world of done for you. The smart home of the future will help you. The electrical panel would work with the grid and decide when to charge electronics in your house. Kenmore has electric appliances that works with the electric red. These appliances save you money and also save the grid. On a bigger scale we need to modernize the electric road. Then in the future build better homes cars and appliances. Inflation reduction act has multiprong incentives for all of this. When we saw the bull run of tech starting in 2010 it had three things working together. Social mobile and the cloud all came together to create this tech rise. Do you need electricity plus clean energy plus clean water. A rising tide that can raise all. Do you want to solve problems, what are the pain killers? Seg. 4 CEO was an engineer by trade. Worked in Boston went to business school and after that he built some products. Worked at Altavista on firewalls and search. Cloud print on printing mobile with the HP e-print. Worked in wearables at Hugo boss and Ferrari. Worked at Comcast on Xfinity digital security and high-speed Internet. Worked with shark and ninja on home robots. Worked at Bershire Gray, consumer robots which went public with an IPO. Then at Brands / Kenmore (also Diehard batteries) - Building better and smarter appliances Span that I/O build a smart electrical panel. Do you want your appliances to give you repair and maintenance updates. Whole home electrification. A whole home dashboard controlling your smart home. An example would be your fridge would tell you when you need a new filter. Kenmore is a tech forward company. Solving problems in electricity and energy also have the same issues with working on better water and clean food. It is more than just an energy and electric issue. Live more and live better. Also need to make it affordable. Kenmore is home electricity made easy. they have the blue-collar work ethic with the idea of progress over perfection. Kenmore is a consumer centric team. Biotech Shows: AZ Tech Council Shows: *Includes show from 2/12/2023 Tech Topic: Best of Tech: ‘Best Of’ Topic: Thanks for Listening. Please Subscribe to the AZ TRT Podcast. AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more… AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: ‘Best Of’ AZ TRT Podcast: Podcast on Google: Podcast on Spotify: More Info: KFNX Info: Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the Hosts, Guests and Speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent (or affiliates, members, managers, employees or partners), or any Station, Podcast Platform, Website or Social Media that this show may air on. All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes. Nothing said on this program should be considered advice or recommendations in: business, legal, real estate, crypto, tax accounting, investment, etc. Always seek the advice of a professional in all business ventures, including but not limited to: investments, tax, loans, legal, accounting, real estate, crypto, contracts, sales, marketing, other business arrangements, etc. /episode/index/show/brt-show/id/36008145

Cybersecurity Response Plan w/ Frank Grimmelmann of ACTRA - AZ TRT S06 EP03 (264) 2-9-2025 02/25/2025

Cybersecurity Response Plan w/ Frank Grimmelmann of ACTRA - AZ TRT S06 EP03 (264) 2-9-2025 Cybersecurity Response Plan w/ Frank Grimmelmann of ACTRA - AZ TRT S06 EP03 (264) 2-9-2025 What We Learned This Week ACTRA Arizona Cyber Threat Response Alliance Cyber threats affect everyone from Gov’t to business to private and growing Companies need to be responsive with speed to be effective + share information of attacks ACTRA has members from both government and private sector ACTRA helped create a state cybersecurity response model that other states can use Guest: Frank Grimmelmann President & CEO/Intelligence Liaison Officer Mr. Grimmelmann also serves as Co-Chair (together with Arizona's Chief Information Security Officer) for the Arizona Cybersecurity Team (‘ACT’), created through the Governor’s Executive Order signed in March 2018. He also serves as a Founding Member of the National Leadership Group for the Information Sharing & Analysis Organization Standards Organization (‘ISAO SO’) at the University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA), created under the President’s Executive Order 13691 in February 2015. As ACTRA’s leader, Mr. Grimmelmann was invited as the first private sector representative in the Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center (ACTIC) and served as its first private sector Executive Board representative from 2014-2019. He presently acts as ACTRA’s designated private sector liaison to ACTRA’s Key Agency and other non-Member Stakeholders. Mr. Grimmelmann served four terms as AZ InfraGard’s President from 2009-2012, serves today on numerous academic advisory boards, co-Chairs the Greater Phoenix Chamber's Cybersecurity Workforce Collaborative initiative, and is an engaged Member of the Arizona Technology Council’s Cybersecurity Advisory Board. In 2019, Mr. Grimmelmann was honored by the FBI, and the Board of Directors of both ACTRA and Arizona InfraGard as the first recipient of Arizona InfraGard’s ‘Visionary Award’ for creating the ACTRA framework over his last 2 terms as Arizona InfraGard’s President, and ACTRA's resulting collaboration between law enforcement/ intelligence agencies/USCYBERCOM, and its public, private and academic organizations over the past 7 years. He was simultaneously recognized by the FBI’s then Deputy Director for his contribution over the years. He remains an active Member of InfraGard since 2003 and an active Lifetime Member of the FBI Citizens Academy since 2006. Since 2002 he has devoted his full-time attention to protecting our nation’s critical infrastructure and national security interests, through eliminating unnecessary silos that hinder communication, allowing us to respond to today's increasing threat from our cyber adversaries, and in turn permitting ACTRA's Member Organizations to protect their critical infrastructure and our national security interests, while protecting their organization's assets . Educationally, he holds a dual MBA in International Business and Finance from the University of California at Berkeley and brings decades of experience as a senior executive in finance, healthcare and government, prior to focusing on Cybersecurity in response to 9/11. Notes: Seg 2 Cyber threats affect everybody, business, personal, and government. Cyber crime is a fact of life that we need to live with it, but stay ahead. Criminals are on the offense and only have to be correct 1% of the time. Everybody else is playing defense and has to be right 100% of the time. AI is an advanced tool that is turned out to be a two edge sword, can help and hurt. AI can only catch so much but can give a few of what is going on. This is a matter of national security, dealing with homeland security and many other departments of the government. You have threat intelligence to determine roles on how you’re going to handle hackers and ransom ware. Hackers can be local or foreign. All companies need a cyber policy and some sort of rapid tactical response. Cyber attacks are an ever growing threat to people and businesses, and continue to surge in 2024. There was 107% surge in malware attacks. These are on corporate computers, computers at work or home computers or even Home devices like Ring. You get a text through devices, phishing attacks. Company business email can be compromised in an attack, people’s passwords come out and it leads to millions of dollars in losses. Elderly people are very vulnerable, 353,000 attacks. You have supply chain threats by terrorist and nation state actors. There was a recent attack on United Healthcare for 100 million. People‘s information was exposed. This led to a $22 million ransom payment. Cyber attacks cause $2.9 billion in damages. Companies are paying ransom to faceless criminals. Very tough for the FBI to be tracking down on these criminals and try to fend off the extortion of stolen data. Payments for ransom could be made through Bitcoin, which is difficult to trace, though it leaves somewhat of a forensic trail. Constant need for regulation and oversight from the government. Famous incident last year was not even an attack, but the Crowdstrike software update. ACTRA had a quick response that day. One that helps clients and partners recover fast. In a similar instant, Delta was down for weeks with computer problems. When you think about what goes on with banks back to 2008 - what loans they have on balance sheet and then off balance sheet securitized - not regulated like normal loans. Issues with underwriting standards on loans. Not even sure what can be affected in a Cyber attack. Off balance sheet loans and debt is similar to crypto or Bitcoin where it is not being regulated. PPD-41 was a directive to show responsibilities of government agencies and dealing in cyber. You had homeland security as a defensive arm to protect the nation’s assets. Enforcement is done in the US by the FBI. Overseas it’s done by US Cyber Command. Seg 3 Frank background in the 1990s in private business, worked in healthcare. Then was the chief info officer and the only 2000s at clinical in Stanford. Healthcare is very vulnerable. Post 9/11 he worked with FBI outreach program called InfraGuard on how to share intelligence with cyber threats. Needs to be treated like terrorism or criminal acts, though they’re taking stolen IP. Need to move to a more stable world. 2011 study was done by government organizations to review the process and make recommendations on how to deal with counterterrorism and cyber. 90% of the critical infrastructure in the US is in the private sector. They do need Fed level help, but have also have a local response. Cyber threat actors move quickly and act like a terrorist organization. General Stanley McChrystal had a great quote, ‘It takes a network to defeat a network.’ Cybersecurity is everyone’s problem. You need education and organization. This is a 5th generation problem and you have to be adaptive. ACTRA is a nonprofit dealing with cyber security. They’ve got pillars of empowerment, trust technology and intelligence. Need for the private companies to develop to train and recruit to handle this threat. They created a model which allows to bring the fight on offense - and all work together sharing information. Virtual response team, small and big with the private sector as a partner. ACTRA is a hub for info, and keeps its member information private. Some members are public like Arizona State. Actual model can be used for the rest of the nation. Government and private cannot do it alone. Not all states have this type of organization, but probably need it. Seg 4 ACTRA started in January 2013. Give U.S. states a model for cyber security. Collective defense and share information with public and private organizations. The goal is to breakdown silos between government and the corporate world. Not just a thing tank, has an active model. Review of ACTRA model is best in the country and a good hub for response and info. In 2015, they helped Wisconsin create their own state organization for cyber threats. Soon after, Maryland created one using ACTRA as a model. Needs to be an effort of collaboration, merge the construct of entrepreneur spirit to take action. So the government cyber threats are handled nationally at a Fort Meade, where the NSA is. Frank’s background in business in finance and healthcare fields. Info is useless if not used for action. You need actionable intelligence that is current to take down a threat. You need more than continuing education and certificates for people, must go beyond this. Virtual response team like a local militia who can help protect assets. Going after cyber criminals can be a little bit like a whack a mole. Overtime, hopefully there will be a national strategy for info sharing. A type of decentralized and local organization that work with government. The private sector owns the vast amount of data so they have to determine who they’re going to share it with and how. Defend vs Cyber fast while still working within the spirit of the law. Seg. 1 Clips from Related Shows: Cybersecurity, Disruption, Blockchain & Terrorism w Ari Redbord of TRM Labs - BRT S02 EP31 (78) 8-1-2021 What We Learned This Week Cybersecurity is extremely important industry for national security TRM Labs startup in cyber-security, monitors blockchain OFAC - Gov’t administers economic and trade sanctions Ransomeware – specific breach, takeover of a computer system, holds data hostage Programatic Money Laundering – bad guys create new addresses, create ‘shell’ companies Guest: Ari Redbord, Head of Legal and Government Affairs w/ TRM Labs Ari is formerly a US Attorney, and worked in the Treasury Department, now advises the Government on cybersecurity, and Blockchain. Cybersecurity is a fast growing and extremely important industry for national security, and corporate interests. There are Nation States acting as bad players in the cyber realm and targeting the US Government and US business. We discuss the advancements in technology on cyber crime, blockchain, crypto, and online fraud. How is the FBI dealing with Ransomware, and other cyber attacks on prime targets like the Colonial Pipeline, or other big corps. What Regulations are coming in banking, and Fintech, with KYC (Know Your Customer), plus the big banks like JP Morgan Chase and Goldman are on board. What the blockchain ledger can help solve in security, to monitor criminal activity in real time with the help of crypto exchanges like Coinbase. Lastly, what TRM Labs does for clients, how they advise, operate, and who they work with. Full Show: Phishing, Malware & Cybersecurity - Try Not to Get Pwned - BRT S02 EP47 (94) 11-21-2021 What We Learned This Week: Have I been Pwned? Means have I been breached / hacked – did someone hack my email or website Phishing – most common type of email threat, like when you receive a strange email with a link – Do Not Open – DELETE (and alert other office staff of the email) Ramsonware – hack your website, or data – hold it hostage for an extortion ‘ransom’ payment Dark Web – where stolen data, & info is being bought & sold VPN Connections – direct and secure Guests: Vince Matteo, Seven Layer Networks, Inc. Vince Matteo is a certified penetration tester, a security researcher, and a senior consultant at Seven Layers (.com) where he focuses on securing small businesses. Vince is the author of "Hacking 101 – A Beginner’s Guide to Penetration Testing", he's a bug bounty hunter with 17 published critical vulnerabilities, and he's presented talks on offensive hacking at security conferences -- most recently GrrCON in Grand Rapids, MI and BSides in College Station, TX. Outside of work, Vince is an accomplished endurance athlete, an Ironman age group champion, and in his spare time, you can find him in the desert -- training for the next hundred-mile ultramarathon. Full Show: Biotech Shows: AZ Tech Council Shows: *Includes show from 2/12/2023 Tech Topic: Best of Tech: ‘Best Of’ Topic: Thanks for Listening. Please Subscribe to the AZ TRT Podcast. AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more… AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: ‘Best Of’ AZ TRT Podcast: Podcast on Google: Podcast on Spotify: More Info: KFNX Info: Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the Hosts, Guests and Speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent (or affiliates, members, managers, employees or partners), or any Station, Podcast Platform, Website or Social Media that this show may air on. All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes. Nothing said on this program should be considered advice or recommendations in: business, legal, real estate, crypto, tax accounting, investment, etc. Always seek the advice of a professional in all business ventures, including but not limited to: investments, tax, loans, legal, accounting, real estate, crypto, contracts, sales, marketing, other business arrangements, etc. /episode/index/show/brt-show/id/35426985

Futuristic EV Designer Sports Car w/ Nikita Bridan of Oilstainlab - AZ TRT S06 EP02 (263) 1-26-2025 02/17/2025

Futuristic EV Designer Sports Car w/ Nikita Bridan of Oilstainlab - AZ TRT S06 EP02 (263) 1-26-2025 Futuristic EV Designer Sports Car w/ Nikita Bridan of Oilstainlab - AZ TRT S06 EP02 (263) 1-26-2025 What We Learned This Week Oilstain Lab creates high end retro futuristic designer sports car - in EV models EV Car Designers for Gearheads who hate EVs All the capabilities of a sports car, on a liteweight carbon fiber frame, + sound & an electric motor Inspired by the race cars of Italy & classic 1960s sports cars Guest: Nikita Bridan, Co-Founder, CEO Nikita Bridan is co-founder & chief executive officer of Oilstainlab. A car design strategist with 15 years of OEM and startup experience, Nikita has worked with world-renowned brands including Lyft, Cruise, GM, Toyota, Genesis, ONE, and more on electrification, platforms, and strategy. In 2019, Nikita co-founded Oilstainlab with his twin brother, Iliya, as an automotive design consultancy service and playground, and developed it into a boundary-pushing, custom vehicle manufacturer. Nikita lives his life as fast as the cars he builds, once being pulled over at 140mph in Arizona and getting off with a warning. Nikita earned bachelor’s degrees in Transportation Design from the Istitudo Europeo di Design in Italy and the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California, where he now serves as an instructor to the next generation of designers. Leading a New Generation of Automotive with Oilstainlab Co-Founder Nikita Bridan The future of automotive design is in the hands of twin brothers, Nikita and Iliya Bridan. The founders of Oilstainlab have turned heads worldwide with their automotive creations, most notably the Half-11, its half Porsche-half Formula 1 race car that pays homage to the golden age of motor racing. The Bridan brothers are motor maniacs who credit to Gran Turismo for fueling their passion for car design from a young age. The brothers dropped out of high school at age 14 to pursue a design education and would eventually earn degrees in Transportation Design from the Istitudo Europeo di Design in Italy and the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena. During their career they have worked for world-renowned car brands including Toyota, Scion, Lexus, General Motors, Honda, Acura and more, bringing 6.5M cars to the road, securing 13 patents, and winning multiple awards including Motor Trend “SUV of the Year.” In 2019, the brothers went into business for themselves. They opened Oilstainlab as a design consultancy and playground with clients ranging from EV start-ups, space vehicles, movie vehicles, hydrogen start-ups, and more. In 2024 the brothers unveiled their first car, the HF-11. The HF-11 is the perfect mix of speed, comfort and intelligence. It offers 650 horsepower 12000RPMs and a top speed over 200 mph. The all-carbon fiber bodywork forges a radical shape obsessively honed for extreme velocities, while the interior offers all the comforts of modern-day vehicles. The company will keep turning heads with maniac design, world class advisory council going into 2025…and changing automotive landscape. Notes: Seg 2 Oil stain lab is a boutique, sports car designer, using an EV format. They start their design with the driver in mind, then sketch it out and think with an inside out strategy. They wanted to build a high-end retro futuristic 1960s motorsports inspired type car. These cars are expensive with future tech. 1960s sports cars were dangerous and cool. The last era of sports cars before car regulations were changed in the early 1970s. The second step is a computer design. The car body uses a light carbon fiber frame. They also enhance their car with the idea and sound of combustion in an electric EV car. It has a flat skateboard type platform designed very different than an actual sports car. Normally EV battery is at the bottom, but Oilstainlab put the EV battery where the engine would be. Lightweight car of 2000 pounds. Compact and efficient, using a 911 Porsche as a model.Power train is in the back of the car, which is challenging. Comfortable EV sports car, two seater with a manual transmission. Has an audio signature, which is very important, creates real sound of 110 decimals. Oilstainlab is building cars for gear heads, not a traditional EV nerd type. Building EV cars for people who hate EVS. Goes up to speeds of 200 mph, 0 to 100 in 5 seconds. Plus the driver can enjoy switching gears. Seg 3 Twin brothers Nikita and Iliana created the company. Originally from Ukraine, then moved to Italy when they were teenagers. Eventually settled in California and created Oilstainlab. Prior, they were auto designers for 10 years. Started Oilstainlab in 2019 with the design idea. In 2020 they started to actually manufacture cars. Fall of 2024 they came out with their HF 11 model. Brothers were inspired by the 1960s motorsport cars and your famous Italian sports cars like Ferrari and Lamborghini. They wanted to bring in the Hollywood flair of storytelling and branding. Think of Steve McQueen movies with the height of the sports car from 1967 through 1972. 1972 was the end of an era, with new emission standards that killed good designs. The 1960 sports cars were a wild west of innovation. Collectors still want these cars with their combustion engines. Oilstainlab is bringing back that spirit within the next generation of car design. Building an EV car with power. Building an EV car for the EV hater. There are challenges in this, with how heavy the car is and where to put the battery. Aspark Owl, a $3 million car, claims to be the fastest EV in the world. It weighs 5700 pounds. Also has no noise or vibration, so it does not catch the nostalgia of a sports car. Oilstainlab has a light car, manual transmission, plus that classic combustion sound. They replicate the experience, creating a bridge to the past with a future style sports car. Car cost $1 million and their typical clients age from 40 to 60 years old. Using the 1960s car design, purity of a driving experience. When they built the prototype, they were thinking about the driver first. They hired sports car drivers like JR Hildebrand, and Rick Noob to test. These guys were racecar drivers. The 1960s cars were planned to be obsolete, the design will age out. Post 1972 with the economic and fuel crisis, cars were mass produced. No more exotic designs, no real soul, they all look the same. Cars companies simply did not spend as much on research and development. Seg 4 Thunderbolt has that combustion field type engine with their EV launch in April 2025 We will have a carbon fiber tub and re-create the excitement of the experience. Oilstainlab is backed by an investor who has experience in Green tech and is an entrepreneur. Oilstainlab is loved by the car maniacs, and they see themselves as maniacs too. Cool EVS can help the entire EV market and change an image Oil stain lab is making a halo product for the entire industry. They have advisors who review and drive the car – who are surprised when the EV sounds like combustion for the gearheads, creating a shock when people drive it, not even realizing it’s an EV car. Collectors want the sound of an original car, but also lightweight and manual driving for the unique experience. Oilstainlab with their design is reconditioning the mind of what is possible with an EV car. Their new Thunderbolt design will have swap ability, for the maniac ethos, with new engineering. All goes back to how they were inspired with the famous sports cars of Italy, like Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Pagani. Italy is the Mecca of auto passion, culture, and approach to how a sports car should be done. Seg 1 Past Clips (2) from related shows on EVs: Best of Clean Energy, EVs & Battery Power AZ TRT S05 EP15 (230) 4-14-2024 What We Learned This Week Steve Zylstra of AZ Tech Council on Clean Energy Daniel Tonkopiy of Delfast Bikes on EV bikes Praveen of Monarch Tractor on AI, EVs & Farming Mark Hanchett of Atliss Motors on EV Trucks & Batteries Clean Energy - many Tech Co's working on zero emission plan Delfast E Bikes – smart bike, connects to E Bike, range of 220 miles on 1 charge, & speed of 50 mph, can drive on all different terrain Monarch Tractor is AgTech working towards a future with Clean Farming Atlis Motors is an Energy Company - Apple of energy – vehicle is their ‘I-Pod’ Revolutionizing the Electric Battery - Lithium, cobalt, copper w/ a Lifespan – 1 million miles or 10 years + Full Show: EV Charging at Home w/ Broc TenHouten of Intrinsic Power AZ TRT S05 EP05 (220) 2-4-2024 What We Learned This Week Intrinsic Power - Next Gen EV Charger EV Charging in your home will be standard Electrical Panel upgrade to handle new tech Electric Grid not prepared for consumer demand & EV charging needs EV Infrastructure for charging stations as EV Cars w/ longer range are the Future Full Show: Biotech Shows: AZ Tech Council Shows: *Includes show from 2/12/2023 Tech Topic: Best of Tech: ‘Best Of’ Topic: Thanks for Listening. Please Subscribe to the BRT Podcast. AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more… AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: ‘Best Of’ AZ TRT Podcast: Podcast on Google: Podcast on Spotify: More Info: KFNX Info: Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the Hosts, Guests and Speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent (or affiliates, members, managers, employees or partners), or any Station, Podcast Platform, Website or Social Media that this show may air on. All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes. Nothing said on this program should be considered advice or recommendations in: business, legal, real estate, crypto, tax accounting, investment, etc. Always seek the advice of a professional in all business ventures, including but not limited to: investments, tax, loans, legal, accounting, real estate, crypto, contracts, sales, marketing, other business arrangements, etc. /episode/index/show/brt-show/id/35320665

Machine Learning (AI) Onsite w/ Eddi Weinwurm of Obvious Future - AZ TRT S06 EP01 (262) 1-5-2025 01/24/2025

Machine Learning (AI) Onsite w/ Eddi Weinwurm of Obvious Future - AZ TRT S06 EP01 (262) 1-5-2025 Machine Learning (AI) Onsite w/ Eddi Weinwurm of Obvious Future - AZ TRT S06 EP01 (262) 1-5-2025 What We Learned This Week Obvious Future is building Machine Learning (AI) programs to be used onsite for a business Corporate Data is too sensitive to be in the cloud / internet Business cannot use cloud AI programs like ChatGPT, Google Cloud, etc because of IP and privacy concerns Large Language Models are not necessary, have more data than needed, can have smaller AI programs tailored for business Guest: Eddi Weinwurm AI is top of mind for most enterprises…but most don’t know the risks especially in the cloud. Eddi Weinwurm is a co-founder and CEO of Obvious Future an AI company with a new approach to keeping AI local and secure. Eddi Weinwurm has many years of experience in both the development of media management software and AI. As a visionary he formed the company to address critical enterprises in the growing AI market. ObviousFuture Resident AI: Faster, Safer, and Transforming Enterprise AI Eddi Weinwurm co-founder and CEO of ObviousFuture is on a mission to make AI safer and faster for enterprises. , a trailblazer in secure and private AI solutions, will be unveiling a disruptive AI solution for the enterprise on December 18—Resident AI. This solution empowers enterprises to harness the full potential of AI while safeguarding their data locally, marking a critical evolution in the AI landscape. ObviousFuture's Resident AI operates entirely on-premise, solving a $500 billion market problem by addressing vulnerabilities like data privacy risks, compliance challenges, and vendor lock-ins. The company is focused on key sectors such as government, defense, surveillance, medical, and media. Early adopters, have achieved ROI within just two months of deployment of the Resident AI platform. Key benefits for Enterprises Local- Resident AI is an artificial system that resides directly on the enterprises infrastructure reducing risk and latency often associated with edge computing. ObviousFuture’s approach is fully private and operates with very low latency. Offline Access- Resident AI allows for complete work productivity without a single point of failure and no third-party API reliance. Not Edge AI-Resident AI delivers full AI capabilities similar to big cloud models and doesn’t require a data center. Reduces Cost- Substantial lower deployment and operational costs means a higher ROI for businesses. Learn more about the company at and sign up for a demo today. Seg 1 Obvious Future AI CEO, Eddi Weinwurm Resident AI for companies, storage of sensitive data, not for use with 3rd parties Predictive editing from media, has Search and use features No open AI, search documents internally – onsite at your company Use local servers and data center on site, nothing goes to the Internet or cloud For business to use AI with sensitive data, it cannot be in the cloud, it must be on site Business needs verticals with AI integration Examples of companies with sensitive data that cannot be on the Internet, are media, banking, healthcare, companies doing research and development RND Also dealing in Research, or math, like at universities Eddie does not want to call this AI, prefers the term machine learning, using a lot of that now and it will grow Standard cloud AI used in conjunction online with companies like Google or Microsoft, You can connect to an API, example is chat GPT The AI work is done in the cloud and over the Internet This involves data centers and huge computer networks Parameters of lots of neurons or brain power in computing Obvious Future is a technology company, looking to engineer a smaller API with the same machine learning intelligence History of technology, initially things are large and cost a lot of money Over time, it should be smaller and cheaper and faster How do you perform the same tasks and have great efficiency? Lots of uses for artificial intelligence, just one example is checking email for spam Currently, most AI is a large language model, tons of info or put into the machine learning. But a lot of it is not needed, lots of waste Compounds and routing models can be the future Seg 2 Chat GPT, is a supermodel, knows everything, but has wasted data To Eddie, this does not make sense For most AI tasks, you need a specialist, a form of expert knowledge Need to be routed to the right model, compound the route and info Network of smaller models – then Which expert model to ask a question This will reduce resources and energy use, plus better use, and faster Alan Tuning said, difficult work requires lots of engineering Obvious Future has created a machine learning product called Cara One, used for media production and film Runs on the premises of a business, local, not in the cloud Not connected to the Internet, in-house, so you can protect your Intellectual Property (IP) Air gapped setup with hardware, provide AI resources in house Problem, how to keep data in house Run in a server room on the premises Cap X model for a business where they can own their own AI Current AI Cloud set up as a subscription model, this a company would own Seg 3 Set up a server or multiple servers in a closet in a business office on site, but not a super computer AI hardware equals expensive cost Math plus technology and you can shrink the tech Companies cannot even use lots of AI services or ChatGPT right now, because it is open cloud, too much business risk, can’t have your IP or information in the cloud Cloud options for business are limited, and typically a no go, plus regulations with data protection Obvious Future has their Resident AI product, called Cara One Even if the Internet is down, you can still use their resident AI product, and it cost less Huge paradox in technology right now, we have the best AI products and software and yet many companies cannot use it Resident AI resides on premises. This opens up the business environment for different verticals and markets that need resident AI Engine for AI, small sized so companies can use Rate of return will continue to go up as companies invest in this Hardware, software, chips are all improving and incorporating AI. Like all things in technology. There is constant improvement, and enhancing AI. Obvious Future dealing in financing rounds for a business opportunity Verticals of financing include industries like: banks, medical, legal, research data, customer data All can be potential customers Obvious Future working on developing the next level of Cara One, Resident AI for all of these potential businesses US Patent Office would be another example, they can only partially use cloud AI, need resident AI to sift through all the data Biotech Shows: AZ Tech Council Shows: *Includes show from 2/12/2023 Tech Topic: Best of Tech: ‘Best Of’ Topic: Thanks for Listening. Please Subscribe to the BRT Podcast. AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more… AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: ‘Best Of’ AZ TRT Podcast: Podcast on Google: Podcast on Spotify: More Info: KFNX Info: Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the Hosts, Guests and Speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent (or affiliates, members, managers, employees or partners), or any Station, Podcast Platform, Website or Social Media that this show may air on. All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes. Nothing said on this program should be considered advice or recommendations in: business, legal, real estate, crypto, tax accounting, investment, etc. Always seek the advice of a professional in all business ventures, including but not limited to: investments, tax, loans, legal, accounting, real estate, crypto, contracts, sales, marketing, other business arrangements, etc. /episode/index/show/brt-show/id/34995840

EV Trucks for Commercial Use w/ George Gebhart of Voltu Motor - AZ TRT S05 EP45 (261) 12-30-2024 01/10/2025

EV Trucks for Commercial Use w/ George Gebhart of Voltu Motor - AZ TRT S05 EP45 (261) 12-30-2024 EV Trucks for Commercial Use w/ George Gebhart of Voltu Motor - AZ TRT S05 EP45 (261) 12-30-2024 What We Learned This Week Voltu Motor provides EV battery and drive train for commercial trucks Creating new EV tech that is lighter, extended charge for longer range, and Inverter to charge on site Deals in Class 3 trucks for business – utility, fleet, delivery, repair Further the cause of EV adoption to help the environment and be more efficient Guest: George Gebhart, CEO and founder of Voltu Motor A trailblazer in the electric vehicle (EV) industry, leveraging nearly two decades of expertise in engineering, innovation, and leadership to redefine sustainable transportation. A bioengineer by training, George began his career conducting research in robotics and brain-computer interfaces (BCI), focusing on semi-autonomous systems for handicapped individuals. This groundbreaking work laid the foundation for his passion for electrification and technology-driven solutions. With over 15 years of experience in electric drives and EVs, George founded Voltu to revolutionize the EV market with an integrated, proprietary powertrain solution. Voltu’s innovations—such as the patented immersive cooling battery technology and the bidirectional inverter that enables the industry-first onboard fast charging—are a testament to his technical ingenuity and determination to eliminate barriers to EV adoption. George’s journey as a leader is marked by a rare combination of intellectual curiosity, mathematical acumen, and unwavering resilience. These traits not only underpin his own achievements but also inspire his team. “I haven’t personally seen or heard about a group more tough or resilient, with an unmatched work ethic,” George says of Voltu’s team, who have worked closely with him over the past years to prepare for scaling the company. This collaboration and shared vision fuel his conviction that Voltu can make a lasting impact in the EV industry A seasoned speaker, including as a TEDx presenter, George emphasizes perseverance, teamwork, and the transformative power of innovation in addressing global challenges. Today, as Voltu secures multi-million-dollar contracts and advances its vision of energy freedom, George continues to lead the charge toward a cleaner, smarter, and more connected world. Leading a Greener Future in Class 3 Trucking—Meet Voltu Motors Voltu Motor Redefines Sustainability with the Future of Class 3 Electric Trucks As the electric vehicle (EV) market hurtles toward a projected $255 billion valuation by 2030, Voltu Motor Inc. is emerging as a transformative force Class 3 trucking. Founded in Argentina and now headquartered in Riverside, California, Voltu Motors is setting a new industry standard with its innovative technologies and groundbreaking approach to electrification. The company’s flagship Voltu 3 Pickup Work Truck addresses the critical needs of businesses in the commercial sector. With a 350-mile range, patented Immerse Cooling Technology, and Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) capabilities, it’s more than a truck—it’s a mobile energy solution poised to revolutionize urban freight and fleet operations. Notes: Seg 1 Truck chassis with an embed electric battery Voltu deals with Class 3 commercial trucks They plan to launch a midsize pick up truck in 2025 The benefits are: extended charge, lightweight, charging inverter, cloud based monitoring in the future In the future they could have a setup for car conversion, from fuel to EV based. They are a technology company, and already delivering vehicles EV industry challenges: adoption, and cost, battery range, charging infrastructures. Electric powertrain, and drivetrain to integrate in vehicles Class 3 commercial vehicles are used for fleet, delivery, pick up truck Utility, service, maintenance, equipment, trucks, supply chain New electric vehicle chassis, battery plus drive chain Supply to legacy auto makers, and do the final assembly of the vehicle Range of 350 miles, smaller battery and is lighter with lithium cells Better cooling immersion and more efficient Over the long-term EV batteries will be smaller Patent on charging technology, inverter for a fast charge a DC Can plug the vehicle into any industrial outlet, and charge right at your business Seg 2 Fast charge tech, on vehicle charging – can charge vehicle to vehicle on the road More adoption of EV cars, and market share is grow Legacy auto maker struggle to transition to EV fleet Voltu started about 10 years ago, developing technology company with 20 people stationed in California, future plan to hire 400 more George background is a bio engineer Semi autonomous vehicle and Motor tech to Motor drivetrain, battery Vertical integration with the power Investment in the Voltu Motor company so far has been startup, family, some VC Raise money, in VC and capital markets Goal of 1 million commercial vehicles on the road in 10 years Solve tech issue for Class 3, dealing in Power, towing capacity, range, charging Seg 3 Government fleets, utility, airport trucks, ports, any type of delivery B to B type business, or businesses that want to do conversion to EV This is a common vehicle in commercial, pick up trucks, more EV coming Compatible with fast charging stations Typically, a fleet truck would charge on site first thing in the morning Truck on the road needs energy to do tasks Has capacity to charge vehicle to vehicle when someone is in the field Warranty of EV batteries is 10 years plus we can have an afterlife second life with energy storage Manufacturing in the USA and certified with US in California standard Carbon plus EBA standards, federal base of standards, be good all across the USA Battery for light and medium commercial vehicles Other type of vehicles are a class eight, example as long haul and big vehicles Biotech Shows: AZ Tech Council Shows: *Includes show from 2/12/2023 Tech Topic: Best of Tech: ‘Best Of’ Topic: Thanks for Listening. Please Subscribe to the BRT Podcast. AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more… AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: ‘Best Of’ AZ TRT Podcast: Podcast on Google: Podcast on Spotify: More Info: KFNX Info: Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the Hosts, Guests and Speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent (or affiliates, members, managers, employees or partners), or any Station, Podcast Platform, Website or Social Media that this show may air on. All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes. Nothing said on this program should be considered advice or recommendations in: business, legal, real estate, crypto, tax accounting, investment, etc. Always seek the advice of a professional in all business ventures, including but not limited to: investments, tax, loans, legal, accounting, real estate, crypto, contracts, sales, marketing, other business arrangements, etc. /episode/index/show/brt-show/id/34809425

Best of Bitcoin, Blockchain & Crypto Revisited - AZ TRT S05 EP44 (260) 12-1-2024 12/12/2024

Best of Bitcoin, Blockchain & Crypto Revisited - AZ TRT S05 EP44 (260) 12-1-2024 Best of Bitcoin, Blockchain & Crypto Revisited AZ TRT S05 EP44 (260) 12-1-2024 Best of Clips on Bitcoin, Blockchain & Crypto from previous shows…… Exchanges w/ John Denza of ErisX Crypto News + Blockworks on Blockchain & Bitcoin w/ Jason Yanowitz Bitcoin, Bonds, Credit Markets and Reserve Currencies w/ Greg Foss Blockchain Mass Adoption thru Casper Labs w/ Mrinal Manohar Seg. 1 Clips from Tech on the Rise from A.I. to Blockchain - BRT S01 EP 40 11-08-2020 Link to Full Show: Things We Learned This Week AI w/ Naru of Aptus AI AI - artificial intelligence is used daily by the world in - search, big data, speech recognition, V/R, security, robotics, etc. AI helping in healthcare, assist Doctors Blockchain & Crypto w/ John Denza of ErisX Blockchain is a cryptography database Bitcoin is a store of value that operates on the blockchain network Guest: John Denza, Chief Commercial Officer w/ ErisX John Denza has 15+ years as a successful Exchange and Financial Technology Sales Professional with a strong desire to leverage these skills in the Cryptocurrency space. He has a passion to build new Disruptive Markets while fostering relationships with Clients and Hedge Funds. Avid researcher of Cryptocurrency market structure, long term enthusiast and investor across multiple venues. He is focused on applying his Exchange and Electronic Trading experience to the Cryptocurrency Trading community. ErisX: With in-depth experience in delivering and operating a fully regulated market place at Eris Exchange, ErisX has ventured into the digital asset space with a broad offering of both spot and futures contracts on one platform. ErisX integrates digital asset products and modern technology into reliable, compliant and robust capital markets workflows. Starting with Bitcoin (BTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Ethereum (ETH) and Litecoin (LTC), the ErisX solution provides trading, deposits and withdrawals on a stable, proven capital markets technology infrastructure. Seg. 2 Clips from Blockworks on Blockchain & Bitcoin w/ Jason Yanowitz of Blockworks - BRT S02 EP21 (68) 5-23-2021 Link to Full Show: What We Learned This Week: Blockworks is a Financial News Site about Digital Assets - ie: Blockchain & Crypto Bitcoin is bigger than Elon Musk What is a token? Ethereum = Blockchain, Ether = token crypto Ethereum move to Proof of Stake for better payment speed Crypto Exchanges (ie - Coinbase) and future of investing and ETF creation Guest: Jason Yanowitz of Blockworks Media Co. Jason Yanowitz background is in finance and VC work. He started Blockworks with his partner in 2018 to be the premiere source for blockchain and crypto news and information. The site has blogs, webinars, news stories and a podcast. Jason discusses all things Bitcoin, Crypto and the Blockchain form what each is, to Mining, and energy & the Elon Musk comments (and validity). We break down Web 3.0 on tokens, NFT, and the alternate crypto coins. Understanding the creation of Ethereum, the founders, the protocol, and the difference vs Bitcoin. How will the Ethereum upgrade roll out, and if payments will be transacted faster with proof of Stake. Then we expand to the Crypto Exchanges, and Investing, funds / ETFs, and the future of the industry. Seg. 3 Clips from Bitcoin, Bonds, Credit Markets and Reserve Currencies w/ Greg Foss - BRT S02 EP24 (71) 6-13-2021 Link to Full show: What We Learned This Week Bitcoin is Digital Energy Bond and Debt Markets cannot hold up, way too much debt with Governments worldwide Bitcoin could become Reserve Currency as Fiat currencies like the Dollar collapse Credit Markets need to be monitored as an Investor $900 Trillion Total Global Debt Guest: Greg Foss Links: / Bitcoin as Portfolio Insurance Paper - Greg Foss is a former credit trader, who has worked in finance and the bond markets for nearly 30 years. This talk is a breakdown a paper Greg recently wrote entitled – ‘Why Every Fixed Income Investor Should Needs to Own Bitcoin as Portfolio Insurance’. He gives an overview of the credit markets, how bonds work, interest rates and inflation and US Treasury historical rates. Greg ties this to the overall market, currencies (fiat and hard assets), stocks and the effects current Government deficits have. Greg tells every investor to pay attention to credit markets as they are indicators of what is going on with stocks. His belief is the US Dollar is dwindling as the reserve currency, and Bitcoin (not Gold) is the better hedge vs inflation. Greg thinks Bitcoin will one day replace the US dollar as the reserve currency of the world. He goes further to give his insights on Bitcoin, the intrinsic value and where it will be in 10 to 20 years. Seg. 4 Clips from Blockchain Mass Adoption thru Casper Labs w/ Mrinal Manohar - BRT S03 EP20 (119) 5-15-2022 Link to Full Show: Things We Learned This Week Casper is designed to accelerate enterprise & developer adoption of blockchain technology today and evolve to meet user needs in the future. Blockchain: key features are missing in the industry, that hinders enterprise adoption, ease of use + speed Blockchain – best form of copy / data / IP protection (Smart Contracts) Blockchain will cost more because the security, and copy protection is better Fees in Blockchain are expensive & inconsistent, there is a need to standardize and make predictable Guest: Mrinal Manohar, Casperlabs CEO Mrinal Manohar is co-founder and CEO of CasperLabs. Mrinal Manohar has an extensive career as both a computer programmer and a finance professional. Before founding Casper, Mrinal was a principal and the technology/media/telecom sector head at Sagard Capital, a ~$1b long-only hedge fund. Mrinal also previously served as a private equity associate at Bain Capital in Boston, and as an associate consultant at Bain & Company. Mrinal has been personally investing in the blockchain industry since 2012 as a seed investor in Ethereum, Blockstack, Basis, Maker, Filecoin, and more. Mrinal holds a Master of Science degree from Carnegie Mellon University. BRT 3.0 - Best Of Bitcoin, Blockchain, & Crypto 2021 w/ Greg Foss, Blockworks & Swan Bitcoin - BRT S02 EP22 (69) 05-30-2021 Clips from past show segments of BRT talking Crypto & Blockchain topics in 2021 from the exchanges, legal, smart contracts, Bitcoin investing, & Blockchain / Crypto news service. Tech Topic: Bitcoin / Blockchain / Crypto Shows: Biotech Shows: ‘Best Of’ Topic: Thanks for Listening. Please Subscribe to the BRT Podcast. AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more… AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: ‘Best Of’ AZ TRT Podcast: Podcast on Google: Podcast on Spotify: More Info: KFNX Info: Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the Hosts, Guests and Speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent (or affiliates, members, managers, employees or partners), or any Station, Podcast Platform, Website or Social Media that this show may air on. All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes. Nothing said on this program should be considered advice or recommendations in: business, legal, real estate, crypto, tax accounting, investment, etc. Always seek the advice of a professional in all business ventures, including but not limited to: investments, tax, loans, legal, accounting, real estate, crypto, contracts, sales, marketing, other business arrangements, etc. /episode/index/show/brt-show/id/34420310

Tech Marketing - Build a Brand like Steve Jobs & Apple to Elon Musk & Tesla + PT Barnum’s Impact - AZ TRT S05 EP43 (259) 11-17-2024 11/22/2024

Tech Marketing - Build a Brand like Steve Jobs & Apple to Elon Musk & Tesla + PT Barnum’s Impact - AZ TRT S05 EP43 (259) 11-17-2024 Tech Marketing - Build a Brand like Steve Jobs & Apple to Elon Musk & Tesla + PT Barnum’s Impact AZ TRT S05 EP43 (259) 11-17-2024 What We Learned This Week: PT Barnum the original Greatest Showman who understood the power of brand & advertising Apple Iphone release in 2007, big event w/ 1st smartphone Apple commercial Think Different, celebrate change Tesla EV Car is a marvel of tech, customer support & service + order online only Tesla $0 ad budget - use social, word of mouth, referrals, clean energy mission, & the following of an iconic Founder Seg 1 - Tech Marketing - Apple PT Barnum is considered the original entrepreneur and showman. He was all about hype and creating big spectacles. He understand very early on the power of PR and the press. He knew he had to capture the public in interest with his posters and advertising. He promoted the extraordinary to arouse people’s curiosity to go see his shows. Truly understood the audience and how to create a hook. His infamous museum, with the Fiji mermaid and Tom Thumb and the dog man. Barnum was adaptive and innovative, changing his show from the museum to the circus. He was not afraid to be outspoken or controversial. He just wanted press and promotion. Power of brand and Apple was able to build a $3 trillion company because people identify with their brand. Steve Jobs - Unique and outspoken founder who believed it was all about the product, and making the best products. He also believed in simplicity, easy to use customer centric product. Knew how to demo a product. Apple was all about the presentation and their events were covered yearly by the press. Key moment was in 2007 with the introduction of the iPhone. Steve Jobs talked about having a phone, I pod and the internet. What if this could all be in one device and then introduced the first smart phone. Apple built their brand as the young cool hip company for creatives. It was the McIntosh graphics card that originally attracted people to their products in the 1980s. Jobs was all about ease of use making a product simple. He would literally have kids test the products to see if it was too complicated. Jobs stressed simplicity, and focus. Make the best looking and sleekest products . He himself was also very simple, wearing the same black shirt and jeans every day so you didn’t have to think about what to wear. This was an Einstein trick. Understood the power of advertising. The original 1984 Super Bowl ad was a play on the book 1984 and smashing the status quo with a sledgehammer to introduce the Apple Macintosh They had a big ad campaign in 1997 with thanking and celebrating all the eccentric rebel misfits, the change people like Einstein and Picasso and Gandhi. This positioned Apple with these iconic figures. Apple had the ‘Shot on iPhone’ campaign with a show versus tell method. People could see the videos and how good they were and how good the camera was on the iPhone. Then the early 2000 ‘I am a PC, I am a Mac’ campaign. Where the PC was seen is an old stuffy guy with glasses wearing a suit vs the young hip Mac. Apples products cost more but the customers who are actually fans do not care. It’s almost like a cult with diehard fans just loving the brand and wanting to be part of the community. They identify with the Apple brand. There are actually more Android phone users, 3 billion users vs Iphone users of 1 billion. In the US iPhone is more popular with a 60% share, vs a 30% share in the entire world. Apple is concerned with how good their products are spending billions on R&D, but also the look and design of products. Even the un-boxing of a Apple product. Constantly clean and simple. Even the Apple stores are very clean and easy to walk about. Steve Jobs set the tone in Apple with the product, focus on the customer, be product centric. Keep it simple and build a great brand. Ironically, Jobs did not work with consultants, nor did he ever do a survey to customers for product ideas. It’s like he knew his customers better than them, and gave them the next generation hottest product. Seg 2 – Tech Marketing - Tesla Tesla company with a $1 trillion valuation that spend $0 on their ad budget. It is pretty amazing that they are the biggest EV car maker in the world with a 50% market share in the US and 20% market share worldwide. Tesla actually had a 75% share in 2022, it has dropped a little. They sell 1.8 million cars worldwide per year, and the total EV car sales in the world is 14 million. There is some smaller EV car makers who are considered rivals - Rivian, Lucid and Volvo / Polarstar, and they only have a 5% market share. Car makers, GM, Honda Nissan, Volkswagen, and Hyundai combined have like a 30% market share in the US. 1 in 4 new cars sold in 2023 was an EV, and currently EV is about 6.8% of US cars. Tesla is all about brand and identity. Just like Apple, their customers connect with the brand. Tesla is obsessed with customer experience and service Their cars are a marvel of technology and easy to use. They’re also connected to your phone and send you alerts when you need service on your car. Tesla is consistent in their messaging. They have a zero dollar $0 ad budget, and spread the word about their online promotion, word-of-mouth, and social media. Their founder Elon Musk is outspoken and not afraid of controversy. He has millions of followers online and tweet from him can change the Tesla stock price. Tesla owns all distribution, they have no franchises. You cannot go into a dealership for buy your car. You have to shop online and order the car. One huge advantage of this is people do not like buying cars at dealerships. Tesla also has a big referral system for promoting and selling cars. They use huge launch events and promotions to create hype. They are also on a mission to be a clean energy company, not just the EV, but solar and the battery energy. Customers of Tesla have an identity with this brand and their mission of clean energy. Tesla future plans involve AI and autonomous vehicles AKA the Robo taxi. As well as the Robo van to deliver goods.They also have the Tesla bot a robot that is expected to cost $25 grand, and be a serving around the house. Tesla has done stunts and promotions, even creating a flamethrower that was sold. Tesla is all about the software, open source so even their competitors can look at what they’re doing. Best of Biotech from AZ Bio & Life Sciences to Jellatech: Biotech Shows: AZ Tech Council Shows: *Includes show from 2/12/2023 ‘Best Of’ Topic: Thanks for Listening. Please Subscribe to the BRT Podcast. AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more… AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: ‘Best Of’ AZ TRT Podcast: Podcast on Google: Podcast on Spotify: More Info: KFNX Info: Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the Hosts, Guests and Speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent (or affiliates, members, managers, employees or partners), or any Station, Podcast Platform, Website or Social Media that this show may air on. All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes. Nothing said on this program should be considered advice or recommendations in: business, legal, real estate, crypto, tax accounting, investment, etc. Always seek the advice of a professional in all business ventures, including but not limited to: investments, tax, loans, legal, accounting, real estate, crypto, contracts, sales, marketing, other business arrangements, etc. /episode/index/show/brt-show/id/34112281

AZ Tech Council on 2024 Innovation & Governors Celebration w/ Steve Zylstra - AZ TRT S05 EP42 (258) 11-10-2024 11/13/2024

AZ Tech Council on 2024 Innovation & Governors Celebration w/ Steve Zylstra - AZ TRT S05 EP42 (258) 11-10-2024 AZ Tech Council on 2024 Innovation & Governors Celebration w/ Steve Zylstra - AZ TRT S05 EP42 (258) 11-10-2024 What We Learned This Week , in partnership with the , honors technology leaders and innovators from across the state with the Governor’s Celebration of Innovation Awards. AZ Tech advocates for the entire tech industry New committee on Space, Satellites & Rockets for launches Major Investment$ in AZ for Semiconductor & Battery factories Guest: Steve Zylstra, President / CEO AZ Tech Council Steve Zylstra of AZ Tech Council joins BRT to talk all things technology in the Valley. The Arizona Technology Council is one of the largest technology-driven trade associations in North America, with over 850 members and growing, the only organization specifically serving technology companies statewide. They protect innovators and truly believe that technology moves all of us forward; and are dedicated to the future of Arizona. Steve Zylstra advocates for AZ tech, as well as his recurring writing about the industry. Steve, and the Council are a major source for updates on technology, business growth, and what legislation is being drafted. The , in partnership with the , has announced the winners of the awards. Winners of this prestigious annual award program represent the best of the best in Arizona’s technology, science and education ecosystem. This year’s recipients were recognized tonight in a ceremony at the Phoenix Convention Center. “The Governor’s Celebration of Innovation award winners represent the pinnacle of innovation and cutting-edge problem solving throughout the state,” said Steven G. Zylstra, president and CEO of the Council and its foundation, SciTech Institute. “It was a pleasure to celebrate our winners, as well as the many outstanding finalists, at tonight’s awards show. Each year we are so proud to see how far Arizona has come as a leader in technology, science and STEM education.” “Each year, the Governor’s Celebration of Innovation awards showcase Arizona’s vibrant technology community,” said Sandra Watson, president and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. “This year’s winners and finalists certainly carry on that tradition. We are proud to partner with the Council to highlight the entrepreneurs and local leaders making Arizona a magnet for innovative technologies.” Notes: Steve Zylstra of the AZ Tech Council joins the show to preview the upcoming Governor’s Celebration of Innovation Seg 1 AZ Tech Council operates statewide with offices in Phoenix in Tucson. They do public policy advocacy for the technology industry in Arizona. Host events 3x a week, have a newsletter, and numerous programs members. Council has 14 committees, with the prominent one being public policy. Link: Tech Impact Report: Tech industry is booming in Phoenix and Arizona with over $102 billion invested in the semiconductor industry alone. There are four Giga battery factories being built in Arizona. Company looks selfish if they advocate to politicians in the state direct. Arizona Tech Council acts as a go-between to advocate for the whole technology industry. They also help with legislation through legislative reps. They’ve gotten priorities past like tech credits R&D invest plans and also lower corporate taxes. They review candidates to see who votes and how the candidates info align with technology goals. Tech Council committees include AI with 95 companies involved. One of the biggest industries in technology and also Arizona is Optics and Photonics. This deals in light, lasers, lenses or managing light through devices like a telescope to a microscope. University of Arizona and Tucson is the No. 1 school for optics. Some companies involved are Synapse Labs and Mercurio. Consultants help companies to transform business on how to use AI. Can either use AI current tools like ChatGPT, or create your own large language model. AI can improve all aspects of a business, really upgrade efficiency. The AZ Tech Council has added an AI bot called Ada named after Ada Lovelace (early computers) to their website. Over time, AI learns and grows. The company that helped the council with the AI bot is called Skilly.AI. Seg 2 Clean Energy is a big topic and technology in Arizona. With the passing of the inflation reduction act during Covid, $12 billion has been invested in Arizona, which created 18,000 jobs. Four Giga factories being built by companies like Kore Power, LG, and American Battery Factory. Deals in Transportation and energy storage for batteries. You also got major EV car makers in Arizona ike Llucid and Nicola. Estimated over the next 7 years Arizona will have 40% more power needs. Arizona also number one and number two in data centers and growth. Data Centers use lots of power and cost a lot. You also have a life science industry with organizations like AZ Bio. This is one of the fastest growing sectors. Another one is semiconductors. Early discussion about mini or modular nuclear facilities for data centers. This could produce renewable power on site. This is long-term planning and might be 10 years away. An example of something being worked on as a nuclear plant loaded on a semi truck. Governor Celebration of Innovation is a joint awards event between AZ Tech Council and AZ Commerce Authority. Celebrating startups, and small and large companies. Awards to stem students and teacher of the year. Lifetime achievement award for execs in Boeing, and Phantom Launch (in Tucson) rocket company. Link to Event: CEO Jim Cantrell of Phantom Launch (formally of SpaceX). rocket expert building a launch system for micro satellites or small satellites. He’s competing with SpaceX, his former boss, Elon Musk, and their Falcon satellite. Satellite and rocket launch technology is a fast growing industry and technology. Future goals to see man return and colonize the moon, as well as mine meteors for resources. AZ Companies involved in the space industry are Honeywell, Northrup, Grumman, Raytheon, Paragon Space, Viasat, Blue Origin, and Virgin, all operating in Arizona Steve’s son works for Space Force, and also Steve worked in the Aerospace industry prior to the tech council. Arizona Tech Council 2024 is forming a committee on the space industry the end of 2024. Biotech Shows: AZ Tech Council Shows: *Includes show from 2/12/2023 Tech Topic: Best of Tech: ‘Best Of’ Topic: Thanks for Listening. Please Subscribe to the BRT Podcast. AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more… AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: ‘Best Of’ AZ TRT Podcast: Podcast on Google: Podcast on Spotify: More Info: KFNX Info: Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the Hosts, Guests and Speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent (or affiliates, members, managers, employees or partners), or any Station, Podcast Platform, Website or Social Media that this show may air on. All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes. Nothing said on this program should be considered advice or recommendations in: business, legal, real estate, crypto, tax accounting, investment, etc. Always seek the advice of a professional in all business ventures, including but not limited to: investments, tax, loans, legal, accounting, real estate, crypto, contracts, sales, marketing, other business arrangements, etc. /episode/index/show/brt-show/id/33917022

Best of Tech Investing - Venture Capital & Angel Investing - AZ TRT S05 EP41 (257) 11-3-2024 11/11/2024

Best of Tech Investing - Venture Capital & Angel Investing - AZ TRT S05 EP41 (257) 11-3-2024 Best of Tech Investing - Venture Capital & Angel Investing AZ TRT S05 EP41 (257) 11-3-2024 What We Learned This Week: ATI - Arizona-based investors committed to supporting capital needs of early stage high growth technology driven companies within Arizona Applicants for Funding need to Answer many Q’s What Problem does your Product Solve? Who is your Competition? How Big is the Market? Startup Founders need to research VCs Startup Founders need to learn how to Tell Their Story, then work on the Pitch Deck Seg 1 Clips from: How do Startup Founders Raise Venture Capital? w/ Chris Smurthwaite of VC Insider - AZ TRT S04 EP05 (167) 1-29-2023 What We Learned This Week EX VC or ‘Recovering’ VC who now works with Startup Founders to help them raise $ money & build their business. Startup Founders need to research VCs to understand what type of fund they have, do some research on the fund, industry & and who they work with What VCs do not appreciate - How to Contact a VC, do not spam, make the email personalized, this is a commitment, build a relationship Startup Founders need to learn how to Tell Their Story, then work on the Pitch Deck with Problem / Solution Model What is the Exit Strategy? Exit by Acquisition, or by IPO (go public) Guest: Chris Smurthwaite of VC Insider Chris Smurthwaite is an ex-venture capitalist. He consults with & advises Startups on navigating the complex world of Venture Capital. He spent the last decade in corporate strategy, business development and growth operations on both the investor and innovator sides of the table. At age 30, was hired to run a corporate venture capital fund for a $1.4 billion company. Among other accomplishments, the fund made: A Seed level investment in a health tech company in 2018 which sold for $425M in 2021 An early stage investment in a company that was acquired for $106M — 7x valuation gain over initial investment. Since 2013, I have: Advised ambitious Founders whose companies are valued from $500K to $250M Established multi-million dollar business development partnerships with emerging companies Made early stage, on-and-off balance sheet investments FULL Show: Seg 2 Clips From: Arizona Tech Investors w/ Bob DeLean AZ TRT S04 EP46 (209) 11-19-2023 What We Learned This Week ATI - Arizona-based investors committed to supporting capital needs of early stage high growth technology driven companies within Arizona Applicants for Funding need to Answer many Q’s What Problem does your Product Solve? Who is your Competition? How Big is the Market? Who are Your Advisors? What is the Business Plan? Sales Plan? Building a Company takes longer than you think, & costs more $ than you expect Guest: Bob DeLean, Executive Director of Arizona Tech Investors LKIN: Bob DeLean has been an investor with ATI for more than 11 years and currently serves as the organization’s Chairman. He spent eight years as a Senior Equity Analyst with Morgan Keegan & Co., Inc., a wealth management and capital market firm. It’s now part of Raymond James Financial Inc. Since moving back to Arizona in 2004, Bob has made 28 angel investments in early-stage and startup companies, the majority being based in Arizona. Bob is an outdoors enthusiast who enjoys road trips and spending time in nature. In the summer of 2022, he and his life-partner Maria took a five-week driving trip through various National Parks, including Arches, Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, and Glacier National Park. They love wildlife and were fortunate enough to see a handful of black bears during the trip. Locally, Bob enjoys hiking through the Phoenix Mountain Preserve and seeing the occasional rogue coyote. He is also an avid mountain biker, but it never feels like he gets out enough. Bob loves to read (although the nightstand book pile is always growing), and is an expert coin collector. Full Show: Best of Biotech from AZ Bio & Life Sciences to Jellatech: Biotech Shows: AZ Tech Council Shows: *Includes show from 2/12/2023 ‘Best Of’ Topic: Thanks for Listening. Please Subscribe to the BRT Podcast. AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more… AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: ‘Best Of’ AZ TRT Podcast: Podcast on Google: Podcast on Spotify: More Info: KFNX Info: Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the Hosts, Guests and Speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent (or affiliates, members, managers, employees or partners), or any Station, Podcast Platform, Website or Social Media that this show may air on. All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes. Nothing said on this program should be considered advice or recommendations in: business, legal, real estate, crypto, tax accounting, investment, etc. Always seek the advice of a professional in all business ventures, including but not limited to: investments, tax, loans, legal, accounting, real estate, crypto, contracts, sales, marketing, other business arrangements, etc. /episode/index/show/brt-show/id/33888887

Ford Power Promise for EV Cars w/ Becca Anderson - AZ TRT - S05 EP40 (256) 10-13-2024 10/30/2024

Ford Power Promise for EV Cars w/ Becca Anderson - AZ TRT - S05 EP40 (256) 10-13-2024 Ford Power Promise for EV Cars w/ Becca Anderson AZ TRT - S05 EP40 (256) 10-13-2024 What We Learned This Week: Ford - Classic Car Company with 100 Years + History EV Car adoption is a growing trend Battery Charging at Home + on the Road Software & Service is part of the Ford Promise on new EVs F150 & Mustang Models are available as EVs Guest: Becca Anderson Senior Director Ford e Customer Experience LKIN: In the early days of the personal auto, Americans wanted and needed the convenience, peace of mind and expert service of full-service filling stations. After taking two long all-electric road trips – one through the Western U.S. and the other across Europe – I’m convinced that the new generation of electric vehicle owners and would-be owners are also looking for convenience, peace of mind and expert service. While we’ve been focused on making public charging easier – including giving Ford owners access to Tesla’s Superchargers with an adapter as part of BlueOval Charge Network – we have learned just how important home charging is to overall electric vehicle adoption in the U.S. Nearly 90% of shoppers say they would be more likely to buy an electric vehicle if they knew they could charge at home1. Filling up at home with electricity can be a significant cost save for many owners compared to filling up with gas. Problem is nearly half of them don’t know how home charging works1. Where do you buy the charger? Who installs it? What does it cost? At the same time, we know many electric vehicle customers want 24/7 support from a real person with expertise if they are going to try new technology. Others want assurance on battery life. Yet our industry seems to want to answer these questions in a time-honored way – cash on the hood. Cheap lease deals on electric vehicles are popping up everywhere. Ford believes it will take more than jumbo rebates to truly break through with the estimated 19 million people in the U.S. interested in electric vehicles. It will take – you guessed it – convenience, peace of mind, and expert service. It will take a modern-day version of the friendly filling station, only this time you “fill ’er up” at home. That’s the idea behind the that we are announcing today. Here are the details: : It’s simple. Buy or lease a retail Ford Mustang Mach-E, F-150 Lightning or E-Transit and take a complimentary home charger with you or have it delivered, and when you’re ready, an expert comes out to install it at no charge for a standard install. This takes the guesswork out of installation, including costs, to help you save time and money by filling up at home. Less stress, more convenience. If you’re a Ford Pro fleet customer, we have you covered with a commercial charging cash incentive. On-the-Road Charging: Road trips don't happen every day, but when you are on the road, you need to know where to fill up. Our BlueOval Charge Network automatically searches for chargers across various networks, including Electrify America and Tesla Superchargers and adds charging stops to your route via the Connected Navigation in the vehicle. With Plug and Charge, you plug in when you get there, and the payment is automatically made via your FordPass account. It's that easy.   Battery Confidence: We're confident in the quality of our batteries, and we want you to be confident, too. That's why we provide an eight-year/100,000-mile high-voltage battery warranty for every Ford electric vehicle. Ford has your battery covered.   Ongoing Support and Guidance: We're dedicated to providing you with the support you need whenever you need it, including complimentary roadside assistance if your vehicle's range runs too low. We're also expanding our 24/7 Ford advisor for electric vehicle support, so you'll be talking or texting with real people. We are here when you need us.   Electric vehicles are an excellent choice for many people. They are fun to drive, quiet and smooth on the road. They can help save you time and money on gas. And for the first time in a long time, filling up just got easier. Now, if I can just get one of my kids to squeegee my windshield. Notes: Ford Power Promise for EVs with 24/7 support and a Battery warranty of 8 years / 100K miles Customers exploring EV car purchase ask about charging, time to charge, battery life, service Qs, and convenience Home Installation of charging station thru Ford Dealer Long range trips are trips of 150+ miles Range can depend on trips, and weather, Ford can give estimates Ford Evs have extended range batteries Tesla Adaptor for charging Ford Evs, can use Tesla charging stations Charging flap for plugin similar to traditional gas valve Ford Dealers train and help customers on using EVs + educational content on Ford University Ford Dealers can service all types of vehicles, including EVs Ford promoting the EV Lifestyle + service for the car and software support with auto updates Customers interest in EVs is growing and new buyers are getting used to the vehicle Range Qs for EVs are being answered with more public charging in major cities and nationwide EVs have a range meter with gives the data for charge status and miles left 0% Charge – Ford has 24/7 roadside support in worst case scenarios If you enjoyed this show, you may like: BRT Marketing: BRT Business: Investing Topic: ‘Best Of’ Topic: Thanks for Listening. Please Subscribe to the BRT Podcast. AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more… AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: ‘Best Of’ AZ TRT Podcast: Podcast on Google: Podcast on Spotify: More Info: KFNX Info: Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the Hosts, Guests and Speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent (or affiliates, members, managers, employees or partners), or any Station, Podcast Platform, Website or Social Media that this show may air on. All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes. Nothing said on this program should be considered advice or recommendations in: business, legal, real estate, crypto, tax accounting, investment, etc. Always seek the advice of a professional in all business ventures, including but not limited to: investments, tax, loans, legal, accounting, real estate, crypto, contracts, sales, marketing, other business arrangements, etc. /episode/index/show/brt-show/id/33692262

Deep Value Investing Using The Acquirer’s Multiple Revisited w/ Tobias Carlisle - AZ TRT S05 EP 39 (255) 10-6-2024 10/25/2024

Deep Value Investing Using The Acquirer’s Multiple Revisited w/ Tobias Carlisle - AZ TRT S05 EP 39 (255) 10-6-2024 Deep Value Investing Using The Acquirer’s Multiple Revisited w/ Tobias Carlisle AZ TRT S05 EP 39 (255) 10-6-2024 What We Learned This Week Acquirers Multiple – Enterprise value of the business, mindset of buying the entire business Deep Value Investing – good companies at wonderful prices, looking for companies that are beat down, but not going out of business, will rebound, mean reversion Activist Investors – like Carl Icahn, act as catalyst to push mgmt to unlock value – stock buybacks, spin offs, etc. Value Trap – buy a cheap company (stock) that just keeps going down, but still looks cheap Guest: Tobias Carlisle – Founder of Acquirers Fund and author of Acquirers Multiple book & blog Website: / LinkedIn: Twitter: Investing is broken down with Toby's philosophy on 'Deep Value', the Acquirers Multiple (purchasing the whole company), and value investing from Graham to Buffett. Tobias Carlisle is the founder of The Acquirer’s Multiple®. He is also the founder of . He is best known as the author of the #1 new release in Amazon’s Business and Finance , the Amazon best-sellers (2014), and other books. He has extensive experience in investment management, business valuation, public company corporate governance, and corporate law. He runs the Acquirers Fund, a Long / Short Fund (ticker symbol – ZIG). Prior to founding the forerunner to Acquirers Funds in 2010, Tobias was an analyst at an activist hedge fund, general counsel of a company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, and a corporate advisory lawyer. As a lawyer specializing in mergers and acquisitions he has advised on transactions across a variety of industries in the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Australia, Singapore, Bermuda, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, and Guam. He is a graduate of the University of Queensland in Australia with degrees in Law (2001) and Business (Management) (1999). Notes: Deep Value – what drives returns in investing, picking stocks is half the battle Concentrated Investing – interviews with fund managers Acquirers Multiple – summary of previous books, giving the best lessons Built Models to back test investing styles and value investing techniques Warren Buffet is looking for Wonderful Companies at Fair Prices vs a Good Company at a Wonderful price (Deep Value) Not a great business, but still a good business, that is being priced like it is going out of business. The market will realize this later, as it rebounds and grows slowly over time. Contrarian’s contrarian like Carl Icahn Value Trap – buy a cheap company (stock) that just keeps going down, but still looks cheap Corporate Raider or LBO (Leverage Buyout) Activist Investor or Shareholder Activism – forces management to make changes and unlock that value Solutions - Buy back stock, sell assets, spin off a division Value Investor has to be patient, can take years for the market is too realize the value Lots of cash $ on the balance sheet, low debt, and business is generating free cash flow Cash Flow is the life blood of a business, without it the business runs out of options Buffet was a Liquidator in his early days, buy the company and liquidate the assets to make a profit, but decided to change his strategy because of pushback from company employees Acquirers Multiple: think like an Acquirer (like Private Equity), buying the whole business or the Enterprise Value - what is the equity value of the business, how much debt, how much cash – forensic analysis of the balance sheet, and determine all assets and all liabilities Enterprise Value = market cap plus debt plus preferred stock plus minority interest minus cash. Enterprise Value compared to the operating income EBITDA – operating income / cash flow of the business Magic Formula - Joel Greenblatt investing has 2 formulas to calculate: Return on invested capital (ROIC) = EBIT / (net working capital + net fixed assets) Earnings yield = EBIT / Enterprise value. Average Small Business gets valuation that is 1 – 2x cash flow multiple, because it is owner centric Big Business gets better Valuation (could be 6 – 12x cash flow) because it is robust and not dependent on 1 or few people Tech Company with great secular growth, and a Moat could have a multiple of 20x free cash flow Ie - Google, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Facebook, Visa , Mastercard Mean Reversion – companies or stocks go down over time, because completion comes after the main players in a an industry and chip away 13F – follow 13 F of Super Investors for stock ideas, Toby does not use this method, even though he pays attention. Toby likes: Carl Ichan (Catalyst), Warren Buffet, David Einhorn, Dan Loeb (Third Point), Seth Klarman Baupost Group – Seth Klarman is a deep value investor, buying into distressed companies I Press – David Einhorn of Greenlight Capital made an activist push at Apple in 2013 to unlock value by creating share levels Buffet’s buy of Apple stock in 2016, put in $36 Billion Buy the stock cheap, even when the value is going down to cash in on the opportunity, when the stock is rising again, it’s too late Howard Marks – no bad stocks, just bad prices, it’s all about what price you pay Acquires Multiple Checklist – strength to survive short term problems market size of mid cap or bigger ($2 bill +) plenty of cash on balance sheet & cash flow some acknowledgement of undervalue - paying down debt buying back stock, offloading asset, or sell business companies that buy back stock ROI do well, if issuing more shares = bad, look at share base compensation of managers Big Shareholder is engaged and pushing mgmt Investing Topic: ‘Best Of’ Topic: Thanks for Listening. Please Subscribe to the BRT Podcast. AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more… AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: ‘Best Of’ AZ TRT Podcast: Podcast on Google: Podcast on Spotify: More Info: KFNX Info: Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the Hosts, Guests and Speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent (or affiliates, members, managers, employees or partners), or any Station, Podcast Platform, Website or Social Media that this show may air on. All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes. Nothing said on this program should be considered advice or recommendations in: business, legal, real estate, crypto, tax accounting, investment, etc. Always seek the advice of a professional in all business ventures, including but not limited to: investments, tax, loans, legal, accounting, real estate, crypto, contracts, sales, marketing, other business arrangements, etc. /episode/index/show/brt-show/id/33617052

Taxes Are Going Up - How to Grow Your Wealth using the Right Tax Buckets - AZ TRT S05 EP38 (254) 9-29-2024 10/11/2024

Taxes Are Going Up - How to Grow Your Wealth using the Right Tax Buckets - AZ TRT S05 EP38 (254) 9-29-2024 Taxes Are Going Up - How to Grow Your Wealth using the Right Tax Buckets - AZ TRT S05 EP38 (254) 9-29-2024 What We Learned This Week: Tax Buckets, broken into 3 categories of Taxed (income), Tax deferred (401K), Tax Free (Roth) Taxes are going up – How to Move more $ into a Tax Free Position Advisors should ask Clients – Do you want to pay Taxes now when you know the rate, or Pay Taxes Later at Unknown Rate? You are always partners with the Gov’t / IRS Arbitrage is Powerful in Finance – borrow cheap $ at 3%, then earn 6% controlling more Capital Wealthy like Bezos or Musk use Tax Free Loans to get Money on appreciating stock assets Guest: Denver Nowicz, President - Wealth For Life Denver Nowicz is an advisor with nearly 20 years experience working with clients in investments and insurance, designing retirement plans with a combo of both. He takes us through different strategies for clients to get the best allocations for their money over the long term. It is the Combo Strategy of both Offense and Defense, the synergy of the mix, not ‘All or Nothing’. Defense – Why defense is so important, and how Insurance strategies can help. 3 to 1 Matching – one of Denver’s favorite strategies thru insurance, more for upper level earners who have a long term horizon Tax Protection – Tax Buckets, broken into 3 categories of taxed (income), tax deferred (401K), tax free (Roth), understanding the differences, and where your funds are currently, and options thru insurance products to move more $ to a tax free position. We also talk about Executives, and what strategies can they use to handle taxes, investments, & retirement. The standard retirement plans (IRA, Roth IRA, 401K), what is a 401K, and the deferred tax setup in the plan (and recs take company match on 401K). We shift to why business owners have more options and benefits and what are they (Acquire assets, stocks, real estate, invest in business). The 3 Tax Buckets – income, tax deferred, tax free, and understanding the 3, and tax protection – move more $ to the tax free position. When you have Assets – rental real estate, cash flowing business, IUL, you can use them for tax benefits. Create your own Exit Strategy as if you sold the biz you worked for, and get the benefits of 3 to 1 Linder Match. What is the strategy of Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos with Tax Free Loans? More Info on WFL and Tax Free Matching: Previous BRT Shows w/ Denver Nowicz: Link to Taxes Show on 10/31/2021 w/ Denver: Link to Offense / Defense Show on 6/6/2021 w/ Denver: Link to Shows, Denver was a Guest: BRT S02 EP23 (70) 6-6-2021 – Why You Need Both Offense and Defense in Your Financial Strategy Investing Topic: ‘Best Of’ Topic: Thanks for Listening. Please Subscribe to the BRT Podcast. AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more… AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: ‘Best Of’ AZ TRT Podcast: Podcast on Google: Podcast on Spotify: More Info: KFNX Info: Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the Hosts, Guests and Speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent (or affiliates, members, managers, employees or partners), or any Station, Podcast Platform, Website or Social Media that this show may air on. All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes. Nothing said on this program should be considered advice or recommendations in: business, legal, real estate, crypto, tax accounting, investment, etc. Always seek the advice of a professional in all business ventures, including but not limited to: investments, tax, loans, legal, accounting, real estate, crypto, contracts, sales, marketing, other business arrangements, etc. /episode/index/show/brt-show/id/33427242

Rockin’ the Kremlin - Russian Music Industry w/ David Junk - AZ TRT S05 EP37 (253) 9-22-2024 09/28/2024

Rockin’ the Kremlin - Russian Music Industry w/ David Junk - AZ TRT S05 EP37 (253) 9-22-2024 Rockin’ the Kremlin - Russian Music Industry w/ David Junk - AZ TRT S05 EP37 (253) 9-22-2024 Things We Learned This Week Roger Waters performed The Wall – Live in Berlin after the Fall David Junk went to the concert, & was inspired and moved to Russia, got into Diamond business, then Music Industry with Universal Music David had to establish a legal record market, and had to fight corruption with the Local Mob Record Companies and Artists wanted to grow their fan-base in both Eastern Europe & Russia post the Fall of the Soviet Union Western Music had a huge impact on Russian music, culturally & maturing the industry, which created local Rock Bands & Rap Artists Guest: David Junk Music Business in Russia About David Junk is a seasoned music industry veteran with a career spanning thirty years. After the fall of the Soviet Union, David Junk embarked on an extraordinary adventure by becoming one of the first American record executives to work in the Ukrainian music industry. Early Days and Introduction to Ukraine: In 1999 as a record executive for Universal Music, the world's largest record company, David started an initiative to open the first branch of Universal in Ukraine. At the time, no other Western record label had ventured into Ukraine, allowing Russia to control the Ukrainian music market. David played a pivotal role in the early development of the Ukrainian music industry. This opened the door for more Western labels to engage in business in Ukraine. Championing the Ukrainian Music Industry: As Vice President of Universal Music, David had a significant responsibility in overseeing Eastern Europe, with a specific focus on Ukraine. He was instrumental in defending the rights of Ukrainian songwriters and combating music piracy controlled by criminal groups. Under his leadership, Universal Music soared to become Ukraine's most successful international label. This achievement was largely attributed to the Ukrainian youth's love for Hip Hop and rap music from Universal's premier labels, Interscope and Def Jam Records. The world-renowned Black Eyed Peas and rapper 50 Cent graced the Ukrainian music scene, thanks to David's efforts. In 2005, Universal Music extended its support to the Ukrainian Eurovision entry, Green Jolly, when Kyiv hosted the televised event for the very first time. Contributions to the Reggaeton Genre: In 2006, David took on the role of General Manager at Universal's Machete Records in Los Angeles, where he played a crucial part in transforming it into the #1 Reggaeton label in America. His work involved collaborating with renowned artists such as Don Omar and Wisin Y Yandel, further expanding his experiences in the music industry. Gibson Guitars: In 2013, David began a new career chapter, joining Nashville-based Gibson Guitars and managing a guitar showroom from the iconic Hit Factory recording studios in New York City. In this role, David presented honorary guitars to music legends Tom Petty, Elvis Costello, Nile Rodgers, Steve Miller, and the band Cheap Trick for their inductions into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He also provided guitar support for Blondie, Rush, The Roots, and Andrew Lloyd Webber's "School of Rock" Broadway Cast in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Seg 1 David Junk bio, fell into the music business by accident. Most people get into the music business through connections or ex musicians. David worked for universal music, and got into the music business when he was already working in Russia. He was living and working in Moscow and hired by universal music, then called PolyGram for a finance position for the record company. Record label was big, carried the catalogs of Bob Marley deaf jam artist Bon Jovi and was the first musical label in Russia. David went on to become the first CEO of universal music in Russia. David is from Ohio, and grew up during the Cold War with fear of Russia. His influenced by Roger Waters of Pink Floyd and his claim that he would not perform the album the wall unless the actual Berlin wall in Germany came down. In 1989 The Berlin wall did come down. Waters staged a concert performing the wall with celebrity ax joining in, called the Potsdam concert. David went to Europe and attended that concert. He was influenced by the moment and returned to America to study business and the Russian language. He got an NBA in California. In 1993 he got a job in Moscow working for a diamond mining company, mining raw diamonds. Russia has large supply of diamonds and Siberia. Unfortunately, the company David was working for turned out to be a huge scam with the Russian bosses stealing $200 million and diamonds. David was arrested and thrown in a Russian jail. Thankfully, the actual criminals were caught and David was let go. The next job we got in Russia was for the music industry. Seg 2 How the music business and record labels work. Record labels make money by marketing. Their big artist as well as music writes with song catalogues. Company David worked for carried many of the big rap artists like Jay Z and Eminem, as well as big bands, like U2 and the cranberries and also catalogs of Johnny Cash. Labels are located in both the US and other countries. I band releases a new album and the record label locate in each country would promote and sell. Record labels want to sign artist to promote internationally to make more sales and exposure to the music. The 1990s both Russia and Eastern Europe were considered one zone and many businesses were trying to expand.throughout. David visited many countries in Eastern Europe as well as former Russian Republic, like Ukraine. At the time there was no infrastructure to sell records. There were no legal record stores and the Russian mafia controlled 90% of the music industry. There was mass piracy with music and CD. David’s job working for universal music was to create a legal music industry. Three step process to get the mafia out of the business Legislation - using the Russian Dumba work to create legislation to generate tax revenue off record sales. Country like Sweden was a model with massive revenue from the band ABBA. This failed and corruption issues continued. Police Action - Moscow police raids of piracy locations and confiscate CDs of universal music and other record labels. This partially worked, had some corruption issues. But ultimately it failed to as the pirate factories just moved from the city to military bases. Now they are under protection of the Russian military. U.S. Ambassador - went to the Bush administration to try to block Russia from the WTO world, trade organization. Russia wanted to expand its economy, enjoying the WTO. They leveraged this to push for legal action on music and other industries in Russia. Force the Russian government to protect artist and lessen the corruption. Seg 3 In the late 1980s and 1990s artist were eager to get their music distributed in Russia. They obviously wanted to work with a record company. Do it legal have promotion that was supportive and understanding of their rights. They also understood that the royalties would be less. There was big business though in touring. David’s bosses in both Angeles and London cannot understand how powerful mafia was and how deep the corruption was. When bands were touring in Russia mafia would interfere by selling false concert tickets. At the time in the late 1980s and early early 1990s lots of bands were touring in both Russia and Eastern Europe. There were issues. An example of this was David Copperfield Magician tour. At one point, he did not pay the bribes and could not get his equipment out of Russia. He had to actually cancel parts of his European tour. Band sell more records by touring in Russia. 1990s peace festival or Bon Jovi Metallica AC/DC all tour in Russia. Mariah Carey also toured in Russia. Kiss refused in the mid 1990s to Eastern Europe because of the war Yugoslavia. MTV opened in Russia 1999 and this continue to expand music exposure of the west in Russia. Red Hot chili pop performed in the red square. Western music had a huge cultural impact in Russia. David and universal signed the Russian band tattoo. This became the biggest selling Russian band in history. Improved in Russia now that they’ve been introduced to competition from the west. Better music, better, music, videos, and better songwriting. Music is always had a connection to freedom with artist having the freedom of expression. Hip-hop and rap was introduced to Russia and wound up becoming the most popular music in Russia today. Very much an anti-authority and freedom type music. Russia, creative popular hip-hop band called del. Many acts like Eminem, Snoop Dogg, 2Pac, 50 Cent, Jay Z, Dr. Dre, anime all became big hits in Russia. David left Russia in 2005 and moved on to work for Gibson guitars which ultimately led to his return in 2013. Often on he lived and worked in Russia for 15 years. If you enjoyed this show, you may like: BRT Marketing: BRT Business: Investing Topic: ‘Best Of’ Topic: Thanks for Listening. Please Subscribe to the BRT Podcast. AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more… AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: ‘Best Of’ AZ TRT Podcast: Podcast on Google: Podcast on Spotify: More Info: KFNX Info: Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the Hosts, Guests and Speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent (or affiliates, members, managers, employees or partners), or any Station, Podcast Platform, Website or Social Media that this show may air on. All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes. Nothing said on this program should be considered advice or recommendations in: business, legal, real estate, crypto, tax accounting, investment, etc. Always seek the advice of a professional in all business ventures, including but not limited to: investments, tax, loans, legal, accounting, real estate, crypto, contracts, sales, marketing, other business arrangements, etc. /episode/index/show/brt-show/id/33240302

AZ Bio Week & Life Sciences Innovation w/ Joan Koerber-Walker - AZ TRT S05 EP36 (252) 9-16-2024 09/19/2024

AZ Bio Week & Life Sciences Innovation w/ Joan Koerber-Walker - AZ TRT S05 EP36 (252) 9-16-2024 AZ Bio Week & Life Sciences Innovation w/ Joan Koerber-Walker - AZ TRT S05 EP36 (252) 9-16-2024 Things We Learned This Week AZ Bio mission to improve life and bioscience, & make AZ a Top Ten Bioscience state AZ Bio Week 2023 is Sep. 16, 5 Days Talks, Events & Awards 3 Ds - Discovery, Development, & Delivery - takes years, and $ billions to bring new drugs to market Their company members deal with diseases, medical devices & cancer research to cure it Combo of Gov't & Private Funding, University research & private company work Guest: Joan Koerber-Walker President and CEO, AZBio - Arizona Bioindustry Association, Inc. Chairman, Opportunity Through Entrepreneurship Foundation LKIN: Bio: As President and CEO of AZBio, Joan Koerber-Walker works on behalf of the Arizona Bioscience and Medical Technology Industry to support the growth of the industry, its members and our community on the local and national level. Ms. Koerber-Walker is also a life science investor and has served on the boards of numerous for-profit and non-profit organizations. In the life science industry, Ms. Koerber-Walker serves as as Arizona’s representative to the State Medical Technology Alliance (SMTA), a consortium of state and regional trade associations representing their local medical technology companies which she chaired in 2015 and represents Arizona as a member of the Council of State Bioscience Associations (CSBA) and the Coalition of State Bioscience Institutes (CSBI). Active in the entrepreneurial and investment communities, she also serves as Chairman of the Board of the Opportunity Through Entrepreneurship Foundation which provides entrepreneurial education, mentoring and support to at-risk members of the community, on the Board of Advisors to CellTrust, Inc. which provides secure communication technology to the healthcare industry, and as Chairman of CorePurpose, Inc. which she founded in 2002. Ms. Koerber-Walker has been recognized as Executive of the Year by the Arizona Society of Association Executives, as a “Most Admired Leader” by the Phoenix Business Journal (2015), in the pages of AZ Business Leaders (2013 thru 2020), Most Influential Women in Arizona Business (2014) and is a 2 time National Finalist for the Stevie Award which recognizes the work of women in business. Her past experience includes two years as the CEO of ASBA (the Arizona Small Business Association), service as a member of the Board of Trustees of the National Small Business Association in Washington D.C., President of the National Speakers Association/Arizona, Chair of the Board of Advisors to Parenting Arizona, the state’s largest child abuse prevention organization, & much more. AZBio: Supporting Arizona’s Life Science Industry for 19 Years (2003 – 2022) Learn more about Arizona's bioindustry: | Facebook: |Twitter: We’re part of a movement to create sustainable funding for life science innovation in Arizona. Learn more at MOVING LIFE SCIENCE INNOVATIONS ALONG THE PATH FROM DISCOVERY TO DEVELOPMENT TO DELIVERY OUR VISION OF THE FUTURE: Arizona is a top-ten life science state. OUR MISSION: AZBio supports the needs of Arizona’s growing life science ecosystem. The Arizona Bioindustry Association (AZBio) is a not-for-profit, 501(c)6 trade association supporting the growth of Arizona’s life science sector. in the fields of business, research and education, health care delivery, economic development, government, and other professions involved in the biosciences are the key drivers of the growth of Arizona’s life science sector. As the unified voice of our industry in Arizona, AZBio strives to make Arizona a place where bioscience organizations can grow and succeed. AZBio works nationally and globally with the Advanced Medical Technology Association (), the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (), the Medical Device Manufacturers Association (), the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (), and leading patient advocacy organizations. Through these relationships, AZBio has access to information, contacts, resources, cost saving programs, and the global bioscience and medtech community. Arizona’s bioscience industry is growing rapidly and reached nearly 30,000 jobs spanning 2,160 business establishments in 2018. Industry employment has grown by 15 percent since 2016—twice the growth rate of the nation—with each of the five major subsectors adding jobs during the period. Arizona’s universities conducted nearly $580 million in R&D activities in bioscience-related fields in 2018, fueled in part by steadily increasing NIH awards to Arizona institutions since 2016. Venture capital investments in Arizona bioscience companies increased in 2019, and during the 2016-19 period totaled $349 million. Arizona inventors have been awarded 2,178 bioscience-related patents since 2016, among the second quintile of states in patent activity. Notes: Seg 1 Biotech and life sciences industry in Arizona, has 3000 businesses and 36,000 employees. The economic impact in 2021 was $38.5 billion. AZ Bio would like to double, so by 2033, the impact would be $78 billion. Examples of biotech companies in Arizona are Medtronic that makes medical devices, WL Gore, material sciences. Other companies in diagnostics, there are Sonoran Quest which does testing. This also Castle Bio Sciences, deals in cancer treatment. Some medicine companies are Bristol, Myers, and Calvari who deals in cancer drugs. Calvari is the bio science company of the year in 2024. AZ Bio Science Week started in 2017. AZ Bio week starts September 16 and has events daily from Monday to Friday. Seg 2 Neo clinical stage company dealing in heart health with aortic artery for the abdomen. Another new company is prim dealing in MCT deficiency, compound growth and they are in clinical and testing stages. Drugs get tested through computer models, and then on animals. Always have to worry about safety and ethics. FDA has very strict rules. You do not put people at risk, after monitor, during test and post monitoring. There’s high-level quality control. Events Summary: Monday - Women in Biotech Leading Women: Biotech & Beyond Join us for an evening of conversation and connections with our community's leading women as we kick off Arizona Bioscience Week in style! Tuesday - Fundraising Fundraising Strategies for Life Science Startups A compelling narrative is crucial when you are fundraising and communicating with life science investors. (LSN) Global Fundraising Bootcamp covers topics related to executing a successful fundraise for your startup. Wednesday – AZ Bio awards, philanthropy, entertainment, and AZ Advances The 20th Annual AZBio Awards & AZAdvances After Party Celebrate with the Educators, Researchers, and Organizations that are making life better for people in Arizona and around the world. Join us at the Phoenix Convention Center as we honor the 2024 AZBio Award Winners. Hundreds of health innovators and business leaders will be celebrating at the 20th Annual AZBio Awards. Thursday- White Hat Investor White Hat Life Science Investor Conference White Hat Investors 2024 showcases exciting biotech and medtech companies from across the Rocky Mountain & Southwest Region. Friday - Voice of the Patient, Bridge Cures Event Voice of the Patient Patients are the reason we do what we do. Join the conversation on life science innovation from the patient perspective. Ponte Cura: The Bridge to Cures Ponte Cura is a special donor appreciation event for the people and organizations supporting the Opportunity Through Entrepreneurship Foundation AZ Advances: Arizonans are advancing life changing and life saving innovations along the path from discovery to development to delivery. AZAdvances is developing the funding that will help advance health innovations in Arizona today and for generations to come. Charitable donations to the AZAdvances fund at the Opportunity Through Entrepreneurship Foundation, an Arizona based 501c3 public charity, are a way to support the creation of tomorrow's medical innovations. Seg. 3 Replay Clips from: Preventing Cancer with a Vaccine w/ Stephen Johnston of Calviri - AZ TRT S04 EP17 (179) 4-23-2023 Things We Learned This Week Calviri is working on a Vaccine to PREVENT Cancer, currently largest animal clinical trial Inflammation - starting points of bad cells Cancer - bad cells replicate Could Prevent other diseases & extend longevity of people's lives - ex.- help w/ dementia Tumors make bad proteins Calviri vaccine works on RNA (proteins) kills tumor, & arms immune system Full Show: Best of Biotech from AZ Bio & Life Sciences to Jellatech: Biotech Shows: AZ Tech Council Shows: *Includes show from 2/12/2023 ‘Best Of’ Topic: Thanks for Listening. Please Subscribe to the BRT Podcast. AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more… AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: ‘Best Of’ AZ TRT Podcast: Podcast on Google: Podcast on Spotify: More Info: KFNX Info: Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the Hosts, Guests and Speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent (or affiliates, members, managers, employees or partners), or any Station, Podcast Platform, Website or Social Media that this show may air on. All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes. Nothing said on this program should be considered advice or recommendations in: business, legal, real estate, crypto, tax accounting, investment, etc. Always seek the advice of a professional in all business ventures, including but not limited to: investments, tax, loans, legal, accounting, real estate, crypto, contracts, sales, marketing, other business arrangements, etc. /episode/index/show/brt-show/id/33126512

THE PRICE: What It Takes to Win in College Football’s Era of Chaos w/ Sports Writer John Talty - AZ TRT - S05 EP35 (251) 9-8-2024 09/14/2024

THE PRICE: What It Takes to Win in College Football’s Era of Chaos w/ Sports Writer John Talty - AZ TRT - S05 EP35 (251) 9-8-2024 THE PRICE: What It Takes to Win in College Football’s Era of Chaos w/ Sports Writer John Talty AZ TRT - S05 EP35 (251) 9-8-2024 What We Learned This Week NCAA fought lawsuits for years to avoid paying the players, had chance to solve the issue Sonny Vacarro (Nike fame) convinced Ed O’Bannon of UCLA to sue, led to NIL NCAA cannot enforce rules on NIL, free for all Transfer Portal happens 2x / year, can change teams 2x in the same year! Nick Saban quit at Alabama because of the chaos Likely resolution is a Salary Cap in College Football Guest: John Talty, CBS Sports College Football Writer College Football Segment with John Talty on What It Takes to Win in This Era of Chaos in College Football and Their New Book THE PRICE “THE PRICE: What It Takes to Win in College Football’s Era of Chaos” (Harper, August 27, 2024) by six-time New York Times best-selling author Armen Keteyian and award-winning national college football reporter John Talty, is an in-depth and revealing investigation into the tumultuous state of college football—and the financial, physical, emotional, and psychological toll taken on everyone involved. Keteyian and Talty pull from over 200 interviews to exposes everything from the fall of the Pac-12 to the exploitation of underprivileged young athletes. Their research culminates into a meticulously constructed portrait of the NCAA’s crumbling foundations and new inside information on college football’s biggest names—Nick Saban, Jim Harbaugh, Kirby Smart, Jimbo Fisher, and Lane Kiffin. Two of the nation’s most respected sports journalists team up for a vital, hard-hitting investigation into the tumultuous state of big-time college football. We are living in the Wild West of college sports. Name, Image and Likeness endorsements, the transfer portal, collectives, conference realignment, the powerful influence of media companies have all rendered the notion of amateur athletics a quaint relic of the past, replaced by a Brave New World where money and self-interest rule. About the Authors Armen Keteyian is an eleven-time Emmy Award-winning journalist and the author or coauthor of six New York Times bestsellers, including The System and Tiger Woods. He lives in Connecticut. John Talty is the national college football writer for CBS Sports and 247Sports and the author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller The Leadership Secrets of Nick Saban. He lives in Alabama. Here are some of the reveals in THE PRICE: Exclusive behind-the-scenes reporting on the bitter legal battle between University of Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh and the NCAA, and his chilly relationship with athletic director Warde Manuel An inside look at Nick Saban’s final year in college football and what ultimately drove him away from the sport New detailed, behind-the-scenes reporting surrounding the shocking demise of the Pac-12 Inside the feud between Nick Saban and Jimbo Fisher The bombshell details behind a top college quarterback demanding tens of thousands of dollars from his head coach in order for him to play in an important game Exclusive reporting on the rise of Arizona football under head coach Jedd Fisch The behind-the-scenes story of Julian Sayin, a top-rated quarterback in the Class of 2024 and his decision to play for Nick Saban and the University of Alabama – a decision gone wrong when Saban suddenly retired A major profile on quite possibly the sport’s biggest power broker: The uber successful yet mysterious agent Jimmy Sexton A rare interview with controversial Auburn University trustee and mega-booster Jimmy Rane, the only billionaire in the state of Alabama Behind-the-scenes reporting on the rise and fall of Jimbo Fisher in College Station Unique access to and interviews with high-ranking members of the NCAA Enforcement staff, including Vice President Jon Duncan The inside story on Jaden Rashada and his college-aged agent who sent the sport into a tizzy when his $13.8 million deal to Florida blew up spectacularly Exclusive interviews with former NCAA president Mark Emmert who describes a broken system, assesses the mistakes he made during twelve-plus years guiding the organization, and his surprising predictions on where it’s all headed. Notes: Seg 1 The book is a deep dive into college football, the NIL and paying players. John got into sports at age 14 writing for scouts.com. He has been in the business 20 years already, and covering college football for the last 15 years. NCAA had their chance to change the system about playing paying players, but fought it for years. NCAA had beat prior lawsuits for years, where they would either win or pay very small amounts. Sonny Vaccaro of Nike shoe fame had a moral reckoning. In the early 2000s he convinced UCLA basketball player Ed O’Bannon to sue. Ultimately this partially led to the NIL - multiple lawsuits, and eventually California overturned the rule that the players need to be paid. Ed O’Bannon was the face of the lawsuit. NCAA does not make money off football. They do make $ billions off of basketball and other sports. A school might make $200 million in a year. Problem with the NIL - now that you have to pay players, lesser or non-revenue producing sports could be canceled. Example: women’s sports like softball or volleyball. NCAA cannot enforce rules on NIL, it’s a total free-for-all, wild west with kids switching schools for paychecks. Seg 2 The transfer portal is two times a year. A player can literally change schools every year, and even two times in the same year. Currently colleges are pushing for a salary cap, and this could be the likely solution. Coach Nick, Sabin of Alabama quit after the 2023 season because of the chaos. Saban is someone who is all about control and likes to have his day planned to the minute. Part of the reason he quit was because of the breakdown structure and players jumping ship. Saban worked on agreements, no promises, the players he recruited must work hard. Money portion blows out that plan.Game is changing rapidly and he decided to get out before it got bad. He did not want to leave Alabama Football in a bad position. Jim Harbaugh of Michigan was busted on NCAA rules during 2019 in Covid. He received a multi-year penalty because they felt he was lying and denied the cover-up. Similar situation for Bruce Pearl of Tennessee, basketball coach busted for lying about a barbecue with athletes. Boosters spend $ millions currently on college programs. Unsure to see the future of where boosters will be in the new NIL or salary cap system. Salary Cap system may be coming in the next one or two years, 2025 or 2026 and a revenue sharing plan also. Currently there is a potential settlement in legal action dealing with the whole issue as well as Title IV. Related Article – How Sonny Vaccaro accidentally created the Ed O'Bannon case Jon Solomon explores the genesis of the Ed O'Bannon trial Football Done Right, History of the NFL with Ex GM Mike Lombardi + Rick Horrow on Stadiums - AZ TRT S04 EP38 (201) 9-24-2023 What We Learned This Week · You don’t work in the NFL. You live in the NFL. – Al Davis, Raiders Owner White Oaks of Football – 5 Coaches who revolutionized how the game is played Paul Brown’s Operating System – responsible for so many of the ways football teams are run, from headsets, to play calling & playbooks, to scouting systems West Coast Bill Walsh – created an offensive philosophy by passing early to get the lead, and running late to keep the lead Pete Rozelle (former NFL Commissioner) propelled football into the #1 sport thru Television, starting with Monday Night Football in 1970 Scouting for players is about elimination, never about finding. Need a Profile to know what you are looking for. Full Show: Sports Themed Show: ‘Best Of’ Topic: Thanks for Listening. Please Subscribe to the BRT Podcast. AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more… AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: ‘Best Of’ AZ TRT Podcast: Podcast on Google: Podcast on Spotify: More Info: KFNX Info: Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the Hosts, Guests and Speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent (or affiliates, members, managers, employees or partners), or any Station, Podcast Platform, Website or Social Media that this show may air on. All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes. Nothing said on this program should be considered advice or recommendations in: business, legal, real estate, crypto, tax accounting, investment, etc. Always seek the advice of a professional /episode/index/show/brt-show/id/33049602

Intelligent Investor, Market Cycles, Supply & Demand - Best of Host Matt on Investing & Economics - AZ TRT - S05 EP34 (250) 9-1-2024 09/06/2024

Intelligent Investor, Market Cycles, Supply & Demand - Best of Host Matt on Investing & Economics - AZ TRT - S05 EP34 (250) 9-1-2024 Intelligent Investor, Market Cycles, Supply & Demand - Best of Host Matt on Investing & Economics AZ TRT - S05 EP34 (250) 9-1-2024 What We Learned This Week: The Intelligent Investor Ben Graham's teaching, and seminal investing book - Ch. 8 on Mr. Market, & Ch. 20 on Margin of Safety Market Cycles – importance of identifying them, to know where you are at when investing to avoid Bubbles and Mania - Economics Simplified - What is the Opportunity of your Business Investment? - What is the Probability of the Next Die Roll? - Dr. Nash’s Plan to Pickup Women Notes: Seg 1. MB on Ben Graham's teaching and seminal investing book, The Intelligent Investor (c 1949), & review of the 2 main chapters - Ch. 8 on Mr. Market, and Ch. 20 on Margin of Safety Ben Graham was an economist, professor, and investor. He is also known as the Father of Value Investing, and the author of Security Analysis, and The Intelligent Investor. He stressed fundamental analysis of securities (stocks), investor mindset, focused investing, and ‘buy and hold’. He was Warren Buffet’s professor, one time boss, friend and mentor. More: Buffet – Rule #1 Never Lose Money, Rule #2 Remember Rule #1 Ch. 8 - The Investor and Market Fluctuations / aka – Mr. Market Parable Ch. 20 - Margin of Safety as the Central Concept of Investment Stocks are a piece of ownership of a company, not just some piece of paper. You have to be able to value the company to determine if the market is selling you the stock at a discount, or if it is over-valued. A good investment is based on the price you pay for it. A good stock can be over-priced, and a bad stock can be a good buy if the price is depressed enough. You make money when you buy (what you pay). Mr. Market is very emotional, and changes his mind daily. Sometimes he makes you an offer on a stock that is silly, and other times he offers a stock at a deep value, at a low price. This is when you should buy. It is all about psychology, discipline and patience. Margin of Safety is the idea to buy stocks with a defensive mindset. Buy it cheaper than the value, so if your valuation was off, you give yourself room for error. You have to do detailed fundamental analysis to determine if a stock is over or under valued. Then you hold until the stock, ride out the fluctuations until it rises to its true value. Full Show: Seg. 2 MB on legendary investor, Howard Marks of Oaktree and his Memos, in particular, Market Cycles. The importance of understanding Cycles, and how to identify them in investing. A look at market history, and investor psychology all connected to Market Cycles. Per Investopedia – Market Cycle The four stages of a market cycle include the accumulation, uptrend or markup, distribution, and downtrend or markdown phases. Accumulation Phase: Accumulation occurs after the market has bottomed and the innovators and early adopters begin to buy, figuring the worst is over. Markup Phase: This occurs when the market has been stable for a while and moves higher in price. Distribution Phase: Sellers begin to dominate as the stock reaches its peak. Downtrend: Downtrend occurs when the stock price is tumbling down. Examples – Tech Stock Bubble of 2000, Financial Crisis of 2008 (Housing Bubble), Pandemic of March 2020, Railroad Speculation mid-1800s, Great Depression 1929 Howard Marks quotes overheard in a Bubble: ‘This time it is different.’ ‘The market can’t fail.’ The market does not always go up, there is Regression to the Mean – prices will eventually go down and even out. Be leery when there is euphoria in the market (be fearful), and maybe sell. Then buy after, post crash at depressed pricing levels. Buy Low, Sell High. Even a depressed asset can be attractive at the right (low) price. Michael Lewis book – Big Short on the Financial Crisis of 2008 Howard Marks Memos: Books: (The Most Important Thing, Mastering the Market Cycle) Bio (c/o Wikipedia) - Howard Stanley Marks (born April 23, 1946) is an American investor and writer. He is the co-founder and co-chairman of , the largest investor in worldwide. In 2020, with a net worth of $2.1 billion, Marks was ranked No. 391 on the rankings of the wealthiest Americans. Marks is admired in the investment community for his "memos", which detail his investment strategies and insight into the economy and are posted publicly on the Oaktree website. He has also published 3 books on investing. According to , "When I see memos from Howard Marks in my mail, they're the first thing I open and read. I always learn something, and that goes double for his book." Funds led by Marks have produced long term returns net of fees of 19% per year. Investors are primarily and . Seg. 3 & 4 Economics 101 for Real World Business Full Show: Supply & Demand Supply is the amount of a specific good or service that's available in the market. Demand is the amount of the good or service that customers want to buy. Supply and demand are both influenced by the price of goods and services. If there was only one pizza restaurant in a town and then a new pizza place opened, the demand for pizza from the first restaurant would drop. The price of gasoline often changes with the demand throughout the year. As people drive more in the summer, gasoline prices tend to rise. In professional football, owners sell entertainment (supply) and spectators buy the opportunity to view or display the game (demand). Meanwhile, owners also buy the services of athletes who wish to play (demand) and trained athletes make themselves available for a price (supply). Marginal Utility What Is Marginal Utility? Marginal utility is the added satisfaction that a consumer gets from having one more unit of a good or service. The concept of marginal utility is used by economists to determine how much of an item consumers are willing to purchase. Sports David Beckham signed $250 mil contract in 2007 w LA Galaxy Galaxy willing to overpay to get the attention, ticket and merchandize sales What we will pay at the margin? There is only 1 Beckham, rare commodity, like a diamond – subjective on the value What is the value of a bottle of water in the desert? If only 1, then pay a lot, if there are 50 available, then pay less Capital Allocation – Capital Allocation is the process of distributing financial resources to different areas of a business to increase efficiency and maximize profits. A Sunk Cost refers to money that has already been spent and which cannot be recovered. In business, the axiom that one has to “spend money to make money” is reflected in the phenomenon of the sunk cost. A sunk cost differs from future (or regular) costs that a business may face, such as decisions about inventory purchase costs or product pricing. Sunk Costs also mean that the Money $ used on a bad investment is lost. Don’t try to ‘chase it’ to somehow recover and get even. Instead, just write it off, and move on. It is better to use the New Money $ on better investments. Where to Invest your money $ is pivital to Capital Allocation. Simply put, learn to Control Your Capital and decide wisely what Opportunity (Cost) it should go to be as efficient as possible. This is the intersection of scarcity and choice. Opportunity Cost is the loss or gain of making a decision, the forgone benefit that would have been derived by an option not chosen. To properly evaluate opportunity costs, the costs and benefits of every option available must be considered and weighed against the others. Famous Phrase – “idle cash balances represent an opportunity cost in terms of lost interest” Whether your time or money can be better spent on something else Should you mow your own lawn, or hire someone and concentrate on your job to make more $ Division of Labor We do not cut our own hair, or drill our own teeth – we go to a dental specialist, saves time & $ over long term Concentrate on your specialties Pencil example – one co make wood, one makes eraser, one mines the graphite, and one co assemblies – we all benefit as it would be harder and cost more if same company did it all, suppliers w/ specialty help keep costs down In Stock Investing – Beware the Zombie Co.s in the S&P Index. These are companies that are not profitable, or growing (may even need a Bailout). They are just treading water, and paying their interest on debt, but not their principal. In the current S&P index, it is estimated that about 20% of companies are Zombie Co’s whose main investment comes from people buying the whole Index. Unfortunately another 30% of the Index are bad companies that are either are stagnant, or on their way to Zombie status. Maybe 10 – 15% of the Companies (Stocks) in the Index (50 – 75 Co’s) are really good to exceptional and should get your Capital. Do you want to own the best house on the block? Or all of them? Gamblers Fallacy each roll of the die is separate from the last, no effect The gambler's fallacy, also known as the Monte Carlo fallacy, occurs when an individual erroneously believes that a certain random event is less likely or more likely to happen based on the outcome of a previous event or series of events. For example, the gambler's fallacy might cause someone to believe that if a coin just landed on heads twice in a row, then it's “due” to land on tails on the next toss. Monte Carlo Simulation – use for modeling scenarios One simple example of a Monte Carlo Simulation is to consider calculating the probability of rolling two standard dice. There are 36 combinations of dice rolls. Based on this, you can manually compute the probability of a particular outcome. Monte Carlo Simulation is a mathematical method for calculating the odds of multiple possible outcomes occurring in an uncertain process through repeated random sampling. This computational algorithm makes assessing risks associated with a particular process convenient, thereby enabling better decision-making. Probabilities Probability is simply how likely something is to happen. Whenever we're unsure about the outcome of an event, we can talk about the probabilities of certain outcomes—how likely they are. The analysis of events governed by probability is called statistics. Sports analytics is a more recent field that uses data to measure areas like athletic performance and business health to of a sports organization as a whole. On-field data metrics help teams decide how to improve in-game strategies, nutrition plans and other methods for raising their athletes’ level of performance. Off the field, organizations can leverage data to monitor ticket sales, craft marketing campaigns and reduce operational costs. Data lets teams and organizations track performance, make predictions and make smarter decisions on the field. Want to figure out what play is best to run on fourth down in a football game? . Wondering whether or not your pitcher should throw another inning? Check the analytics. Players still win games, but data allows coaches to put them in the best position to succeed. Game Theory – science of human strategy, people behave differently in games Dr. Nash – A Beautiful Mind If they all go for the same girl in the bar, competition and no one gets her, but if they work together and pair off with the group of girls, they all may win As Nash explains it, if all the men approach the blonde first, none of the men will pair off: The blonde will reject them all as a crowd, and her brunette friends will reject them all individually because none of the women will accept being second choice to her friend. While used in several disciplines, game theory is most notably used as a tool within the study of business and economics. The "games" may involve how two competitor firms will react to price cuts by the other, whether a firm should acquire another, or how traders in a stock market may react to price changes. Prisoners Dilemma The prisoner's dilemma presents a situation where two parties, separated and unable to communicate, must each choose between cooperating with the other or not. The highest reward for each party occurs when both parties choose to co-operate. Keep your mouth shut and tell the cops nothing, both walk Cold War Example If both combatants do nothing, everyone lives, or mutual destruction with nuclear war War Games movie – no winner in hundreds of simulated games Related Show: Market Cycles, Risk, & Ben Graham’s Intelligent Investor - Finance Lessons from BRT BRT S04 EP29 (192) 7-23-2023 What We Learned This Week:  Mean Reversion & Market Cycles – Asset prices do not go up forever, but rather fluctuate Assets – Valuations have gone down, forces Investors to evaluate the worth of an Asset, Risk / Reward analysis, no more ‘free’ money Interest Rates – Don’t Fight The Fed, raising rates to lower value of assets Market Risk – can get Treasury Bills at 4 – 5%, risk-free, need good ROI to invest in stocks with 10 – 20% downside risk Wealthy own Assets, Business, Real Estate, Stocks are the best and most popular The Intelligent Investor Ben Graham's teaching, and seminal investing book - Ch. 8 on Mr. Market, & Ch. 20 on Margin of Safety Full Show: Business Topic: Investing Topic: More - BRT Best of: Thanks for Listening. Please Subscribe to the BRT Podcast. AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more… AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: ‘Best Of’ AZ TRT Podcast: Podcast on Google: Podcast on Spotify: More Info: KFNX Info: Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the Hosts, Guests and Speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent (or affiliates, members, managers, employees or partners), or any Station, Podcast Platform, Website or Social Media that this show may air on. All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes. Nothing said on this program should be considered advice or recommendations in: business, legal, real estate, crypto, tax accounting, investment, etc. Always seek the advice of a professional in all business ventures, including but not limited to: investments, tax, loans, legal, accounting, real estate, crypto, contracts, sales, marketing, other business arrangements, etc. /episode/index/show/brt-show/id/32947272

Built to Fail: The Inside Story of Blockbuster's Inevitable Bust w/ Alan Payne - AZ TRT Flashback - S05 EP33 (249) 8-28-2024 08/30/2024

Built to Fail: The Inside Story of Blockbuster's Inevitable Bust w/ Alan Payne - AZ TRT Flashback - S05 EP33 (249) 8-28-2024 Built to Fail: The Inside Story of Blockbuster's Inevitable Bust w/ Alan Payne AZ TRT Flashback - S05 EP33 (249) 8-28-2024 What We Learned This Week: · Blockbuster started in 1985, and scaled quickly after Wayne Huizenga purchased it in 1987, 10,000 stores at its height, dominant video rental co. · Alan Payne instituted the Video Rental model of HEB to the Blockbuster franchises he ran – segmented movies to rent new ones for more · Wayne Huizenga was a stellar Founder who built 3 fortune 500 companies – Waste Mgmt, Blockbuster, and Auto Nation · Viacom purchased Blockbuster in 1994 for $8.4 billion, and went on to lose 75% of the value over the next decade + · Competition was fierce from Hollywood Video, Redbox and then in 1997 by a new DVD rental by mail company called Netflix · Netflix scaled into the internet company it always wanted to be with streaming in 2009 Guest: Alan Payne Alan Payne spent thirty-one years in the movie rental business, the last twenty-five of those as a Blockbuster retail franchisee. He took over a small group of Blockbuster stores in 1993 and grew it into one of the largest and most successful chains in the company. He finally closed his last store in 2018, more than eight years after Blockbuster filed for bankruptcy. Book: Built to Fail: The Inside Story of Blockbuster's Inevitable Bust From the Back Cover Blockbuster was phenomenally successful in its early years and made thousands rich beyond their wildest dreams. But it was consistently outsmarted and outmanaged by smaller companies. And the challenges began earlier than you think--long before Netflix was even an idea in the minds of founders Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph. Blockbuster became one of the most iconic brands in the history of American business, but it cracked at the first sign of a challenge. From its founding, Blockbuster was a company built to fail. Link: Alan Payne Bio: Border Entertainment, LLC - 2000 to 2018 Founded a $34.2M franchise group with 41 independently owned Blockbuster stores. President & Chief Executive Officer Held complete P&L responsibility while managing executive team (CFO, VP of Product Management, VP and GM Alaska Division, VP and GM El Paso Division, VP and GM South Texas Division) with 750 employees. · Grew revenue to $34.2M with 41 stores located in Texas and Alaska. · Capitalized business with $14M debt and $3M in private equity investment. Investors received over 35% internal rate of return. Fully retired debt in 2012. · Grew sales 140% and profitability 190% during industry decline from 2000 to 2007. Expanded through same store sales increases, new store openings, relocations, and acquisitions. · Created proprietary management systems by gathering and analyzing data around financial and inventory performance. · Developed and implemented an aggressive real estate strategy, identifying heavily trafficked, high-volume locations. · Cultivated culture of loyalty, retaining employees during wind down. Alan Full Bio: Blockbuster Video was an American video rental . It was founded by David Cook in 1985 as a stand-alone , but later grew into a national store chain featuring video game rentals, , , , and cinema theater. The company expanded internationally throughout the 1990s. At its peak in 2004, Blockbuster consisted of 9,094 stores and employed approximately 84,300 people: 58,500 in the United States and 25,800 in other countries. Blockbuster – c/o Wikipedia: Harry Wayne Huizenga Sr. (; December 29, 1937 – March 22, 2018) was an American businessman. He founded and , and was the owner or co-owner of , the of the (NFL), the of the (NHL), and the (now Miami Marlins) of (MLB). Wayne Huizenga – c/o Wikipedia: Notes: Seg 1 Blockbuster was the premier video rental company in the 1990s. To put it in perspective how big they were, they brought in more revenue than theater ticket sales. To add to that, if a movie bombed in the theater, it could be saved by video rental. Also with the introduction of DVDs in the late 1990s, movie studios started doing direct to video movies that would be released in rental stores like Blockbuster. Pre-Internet was a different era for retail sales. In the 1990s you had huge retail companies like Blockbuster for rental movies, Tower records for CDs and music, and Borders for books. In the 2000s with the rise of the Internet, these businesses were all under attack. Netflix was growing with streaming, iTunes add streaming music, and Amazon was out selling borders with book sales. In the mid-1990s Blockbuster at its height was the dominant video rental store with 40% market share. Hollywood Video is their main competitor with 20% market share. Per Alan, half the weekly rental business was done on Friday and Saturday night from 7 to 10 PM. Blockbuster on weekends was the place to be, where the community was literally gathering for family night in movie rentals. There were new releases that came out every week and this section of the store was usually the most popular. With the introduction of the VCR circa 1985 the video rental business took off. There were tons of small mom and pop video rental stores. The business didn’t really have to be run that well as the industry was exploding. Prior to this it was very difficult to see old movies. You had to have seen them in the past in the theater or wait for Network TV to air them. There was no control and very limited choices. With the onset of Blockbuster in 1985, the video industry became more organized and professional. Blockbuster also had 6000 movie titles to rent, and scaled fast, opening stores by the dozen+. Cost for Blockbuster to buy a movie was $70 per movie. They needed to rent the movie 20 times just to break even. Blockbuster stores count were 5500 stores in the US, 1000 were franchisees and then corporate owned 4500. Corporate stores were typically in the larger markets, while the franchises were in the mid and smaller markets. Seg 2 Alan bio, in the 1980s straight out of school he went to work for HEB grocery, the second largest grocery company in Texas and privately held. It was a $25 billion company run by CEO Charles Burt In 1986, with the rise of Blockbuster started with just 30 to 40 stores. In 1987 HEB grocery started in the video business using Blockbuster as a model. They would own single location stores that were about 5 to 7000 ft.² in size. H-E-B eventually opened 35 stores and was beating Blockbuster in sales had to head in the markets in Texas like San Antonio for example. A few years later HEB sold out to Hollywood Video and Hollywood Video went public. In 1993 Alan got into franchises of Blockbuster working with Prime Cable. The business was struggling as Prime was not a retail company. They had 8 stores in Alaska and 10 stores in El Paso, Texas. Alan instituted the H-E-B model and was able to turn the stores around. Blockbuster Business Model - Blockbuster legitimized the video business, and made it more professional than the original mom and pop stores that were not run well. Wayne Huizenga had bought Blockbuster early on when it just had 20 stores and he grew it fast. The formula was simple - all movies regardless of whether they were new or old or rented for three day at $3. The demand for new movies was huge. Blockbuster could’ve charged more renting new movies. Alan used the H-E-B grocery video model that was developed. Rent movies by the day and charge more for new releases. Older movie you could charge a $1 a day and people could keep the movie for 3 to 5 days. There was actually a lot of demand for older movies, and they were 15,000 movie titles of older movies in demand. Seg 3 Wayne Huizenga is a great CEO and businessman. He was the only man to build three fortune 500 companies, Waste Management, Blockbuster, and Auto Nation. Auto Nation was run by CEO Mark Jackson, and is the premier car dealership. Wayne admitted he was more interested in building the thing, not running things. He also went on to buy the Miami Dolphins in football in the 1990s, and start the Florida Marlins baseball franchise. Blockbuster stores were well run, attractive, and demand was high. Their franchise colors of blue black background and yellow Blockbuster writing on the sign were easily visible. They also picked very good real estate locations for their stores. In 1994, Wayne sold Blockbuster to Viacom for $8.4 billion. In just seven years, built valuation from 1987 to 1994 when built up the business for a return of hundreds of percent. He paid $15 million, and sold it for $8.4 billion. Viacom rolled the business into its total corporate structure and six years later they spun it off at a $1.5 billion valuation in six years, they lost 75% of the value of the business, it was poorly run. Viacom was a TV company with major networks like Nickelodeon run by Sumner Redstone. He wanted to get involved in the movie business and use the Blockbuster purchase eventually to get Paramont studios. Blockbuster when purchased was cash flowing $1 billion a year, it was making lots of money. Steve Berrard was named the CEO of Blockbuster after the Viacom purchase, and only lasted one year. Then Bill Fields was brought in as the second Viacom CEO of Blockbuster. Fields had a Walmart background, so he was hired for his experience in retail. He had no clue though how to run the video business. He also lasted less than one year, and the cash flow was starting to go negative. Seg 4 1997 the DVD was introduced and this would change the movie and rental business. DVDs were created to be sold direct to consumer. 1997 is also the year that Netflix started with their DVD rental business through the mail. In 1999, the video rental business peaked at $10 billion a year in revenues. Post 1999 thru 2006 sales were flat to small growth. 1997 Blockbuster got their 3rd CEO, John Antioco, who served as Blockbuster CEO from 1997 through 2007. He also had a retail background and marketing. He had been at Taco Bell briefly, and prior to that he spent 20 years at 7-Eleven. 7-Eleven is a huge retail store that’s really about location and real estate. They sell gas soda beer and cigarettes. They are not known for being great in retail. One thing John did as the new blockbuster CEO which was good, he started to engage with the franchisees. In the late 1990s you were starting to see technology in the Internet slowly affect new businesses. When Netflix was created they always intended to be an Internet company, it just took them 10 years to get where they wanted to be. John running Blockbuster that stable to slow growth. He doubled top line revenue and doubled the amount of stores blockbuster had but the profit margins went down. Had its height in the early 2000s blockbuster at 5500 US stores and 3 to 4000 stores outside the US. Blockbuster at the typical business fix cost of rent labor and taxes, which were slowly increasing year after year. Gross margin is just the rental revenue minus the cost of the product. The cost of the DVD product have been cut in half by the early 2000s. DVDs were made cheaper as the movie business was trying to sell direct to consumer, and kill the rental business if possible. The rental business revenues started flattening out post 2005. Sell through business for DVDs from movie studios was increasing every year, and had tripled in just a few years in sales. In theory, Blockbusters gross margin should’ve gone up but instead was declining. They had the Proto typical business math problem of high costs and not enough sales. The Great Recession of 2008 was really the beginning of the end for Blockbuster. By 2010 blockbuster and filed bankruptcy. It was the end of an era of a very strong stable business at one point for video sales rental. Seg 5 – Bonus Netflix started in 1997, with a business model of DVD rental via the mail. Even though Netflix only had a small portion of market share, by 2004 blockbuster felt compelled to compete with Netflix on the video rental via sales but failed. Netflix originally did not have their subscription model. That model was added a few years in, circa 2007. In 2010, Netflix started adjusting their business model and experimenting heavily with streaming. The streaming business model for Netflix really didn’t take off until post 2010. Netflix created their AI recommendation model. This taught their subscriber base how to enjoy titles. Netflix overall model was customer centric. If a customer liked comedy Netflix could recommend 10 more comedies to them. Another thing the customers loved was Netflix would release the full season of the TV series at one time. This created the streaming binge watch phenomenon. By contrast Blockbuster had tons of customer data but never did anything with that data. In theory Blockbuster could’ve been Netflix, and at one point almost bought Netflix. Netflix original niche was renting older movies with the recommendation model. Netflix also created the queue system. Netflix sent titles in a customer’s queue of 20 movies and would control what movies the customer would get sent in the mail. In 1998, Blockbuster had to start a revenue sharing of profits with movie studios and this really hurt gross margin in the video rental business. Unit volume sales were not stable as time went on. Overall top line volume sounds was inconsistent. Blockbuster at one point tried the subscription model, but physically in stores. It failed for it did not work in an actual brick and mortar retail store. Blockbuster in the mid-2000s used gimmick solutions which never really addressed the fundamental problems that were happening. Reed Hastings of Netflix offered to sell the company to Blockbuster in 2000 for $50 million. Netflix wanted to join forces. Reed Hastings goal from day one, was to be an Internet company. Blockbuster was not able to work out the deal, so it never materialized. Reed Hastings of Netflix was a true founder and original. He had vision. Founders may not be the best operators all the time, but they must have vision. There are some founders though who not only have vision, but also can be an operator. Examples are Reed Hastings of Netflix, Steve Jobs of Apple, Mark Zuckerberg with Facebook. Wayne Huizenga was a founder, but not an operator. You go from the founder mentality to the operator mentality, but this never materialized in the history of Blockbuster. Overall, Blockbuster management never really understood the business they were in. They were in the customer business, but never really focused on the customer. This is how over the long term they were beat out by companies like Netflix, and even Amazon. Peter Drucker (famous business consultant) would ask the important question: ‘What business are you in?’ – to understand who your customers are, what they need, and how to market and sell to your customer Postscript: Alan Payne closed his last blockbuster store in 2018, and then wrote the Built to Fail Blockbuster book. He does not know what his next endeavor is…. If you enjoyed this show, you may like: BRT Marketing: BRT Business: Investing Topic: ‘Best Of’ Topic: Thanks for Listening. Please Subscribe to the BRT Podcast. AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more… AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: ‘Best Of’ AZ TRT Podcast: Podcast on Google: Podcast on Spotify: More Info: KFNX Info: Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the Hosts, Guests and Speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent (or affiliates, members, managers, employees or partners), or any Station, Podcast Platform, Website or Social Media that this show may air on. All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes. Nothing said on this program should be considered advice or recommendations in: business, legal, real estate, crypto, tax accounting, investment, etc. Always seek the advice of a professional in all business ventures, including but not limited to: investments, tax, loans, legal, accounting, real estate, crypto, contracts, sales, marketing, other business arrangements, etc. /episode/index/show/brt-show/id/32812987

Think Globally When Looking for Stocks to Invest In w/ Meb Faber - AZ TRT 2.0 Flashback - S05 EP32 8-18-2024 08/27/2024

Think Globally When Looking for Stocks to Invest In w/ Meb Faber - AZ TRT 2.0 Flashback - S05 EP32 8-18-2024 Think Globally When Looking for Stocks to Invest In w/ Meb Faber AZ TRT 2.0 Flashback S05 EP32 8-18-2024 Things We Learned This Week Investment Plan – write it down and stick to it, give yourself rules and guard rails Allocation – Global Stocks, Global Bonds, Global Assets (Real Estate, Commodities, etc) Talmud Portfolio – 2000 year old strategy – 1/3 of $ in land, business, reserves Invest With the House – monitor the 13F of big investors to get ideas Market Cycles – importance of identifying them, to know where you are at when investing to avoid Bubbles and Mania Guest: Meb Faber at Cambria Investments Website / Blog / Books: Twitter: Book Recs / Investing Info: Meb Faber takes us on an in depth discussion on investing, doing your research, Quant investing, and looking at stocks outside the US to diversify your portfolio. Why following the big investors 13Fs, aka Invest with the House, can reap benefits and ideas. He is a historian on investing and always crunches the numbers and data. Mr. Faber is a co-founder and the Chief Investment Officer of Cambria Investment Management. Faber is the manager of Cambria’s ETFs and separate accounts. Mr. Faber is the host of The Meb Faber Show podcast and has authored numerous white papers and leather-bound books. He is a frequent speaker and writer on investment strategies and has been featured in Barron’s, The New York Times, and The New Yorker. Mr. Faber graduated from the University of Virginia with a double major in Engineering Science and Biology. He has written multiple Books on Investing – Global Asset Allocation, Global Value, Invest With the House, Shareholder Yield, Ivy League Portfolio, The Best Investment Writing You can Download some for Free here: Notes: Written Investment Plan, and stick to that plan Learn thru experience what your real risk tolerance is when you actually lose $ Do you have the fortitude to stick to your investing plan, when the stock has a 50% draw down Investment Market History – over a 200 year period to give you guide posts Expectations of returns that are more realistic, to avoid disappointment Market Cycles – living thru cycles to identify them Long Term Investment Horizon - 10 to 20 years, downturns in stocks, bonds, gold can last years Example – you expect to stay in your house for 10 – 20 years Short term leads to chasing returns and bad behaviors Deep Research on Investments, Quant analysis and review the numbers to avoid biases Allocation – Global Stocks, Global Bonds, Global Assets (Real Estate, Commodities, etc) Meb book rec: Triumph of the Optimists – historical review of market returns, also Jim Rogers books Home Country Bias – most people in US invest 80% in US stocks, look globally ( and allot 50% to US) Diversify Worldwide – research European or Japanese stock market for ideas Biggest Stocks hit a size that will have trouble going forward growing bigger (got from $1 tril, to $10 tril size), also have a target on your back, biggest stocks over time will underperform the index ETFs – worldwide and foreign markets Invest with the House – monitor the 13F of big investors for ideas, institutional investors with $100 mil in assets must do a quarterly filing of stocks they hold (45 days after) Analysis Paralysis – Simplicity is important, have an easy strategy Talmud Portfolio – 2000 year old strategy – let every man invest 1/3 of $ in land, business, reserves Meb modern translation – stocks, real assets, cash & bonds Hard to beat strategy, can buy ETFs at low cost, and re-balance Monitor details of taxes and fees, be defensive - Diversify your net worth to business, land, etc. Start investing at a young age, save $ and stay invested, focus on low fees Then Advanced Strategies of Value Investing, Trend Following, Tail Risk, etc. Investing Topic: ‘Best Of’ Topic: Thanks for Listening. Please Subscribe to the BRT Podcast. AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more… AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: ‘Best Of’ AZ TRT Podcast: Podcast on Google: Podcast on Spotify: More Info: KFNX Info: Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the Hosts, Guests and Speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent (or affiliates, members, managers, employees or partners), or any Station, Podcast Platform, Website or Social Media that this show may air on. All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes. Nothing said on this program should be considered advice or recommendations in: business, legal, real estate, crypto, tax accounting, investment, etc. Always seek the advice of a professional in all business ventures, including but not limited to: investments, tax, loans, legal, accounting, real estate, crypto, contracts, sales, marketing, other business arrangements, etc. /episode/index/show/brt-show/id/32768937

Investing in Real Estate Opportunity Zones Revisited w/ Greg Talcott of Caliber Funds - AZ TRT S05 EP31 (247) 8-11-2024 08/16/2024

Investing in Real Estate Opportunity Zones Revisited w/ Greg Talcott of Caliber Funds - AZ TRT S05 EP31 (247) 8-11-2024 Investing in Real Estate Opportunity Zones Revisited w/ Greg Talcott of Caliber Funds AZ TRT S05 EP31 (247) 8-11-2024 What We Learned This Week Caliber Co is an integrated real estate company from service to construction to investment funds The biggest idea in funds right now is Opportunity Zones - investing in below medium income areas Caliber deals can last 5+ years, with an IRR of 17% Caliber has great lenders to get good interest rates, they fund deals 50/50 - loan to equity Location - always looking for great properties w/ community to support biz + other real estate building Clips from: Investing in Real Estate Opportunity Zones w/ Greg Talcott of Caliber Funds AZ TRT S04 EP42 (205) 10-22-2023 Full Show: Guest: Greg Talcott, Managing Director of Sales LKIN: Greg Bio: Experienced sales executive with a demonstrated history of working in the venture capital and private equity industry. Skilled in Securities, Asset Management, Investment Strategies, Equities, Real Estate, and Financial Advisory. Strong media and communications professional, expertise in digital marketing to niche networks such as ultra high net worth individuals. BS focused in Law & Political Science from Arizona State University. Real Estate Investment Experts Caliber is a leading vertically integrated asset management firm whose primary goal is to enhance the wealth of investors seeking to make investments in middle-market assets. We strive to build wealth for our investor clients by creating, managing, and servicing proprietary products, including middle-market investment funds, private syndications, and direct investments. Our funds include investment vehicles focused primarily on real estate, private equity, and debt facilities. We market our services through direct sales to private investors, wholesaling to investment advisers, direct sales to family offices and institutions, and through in-house client services. Caliber’s middle-market specialty allows the Company to compete with agility and speed in an evolving arena of alternative investments. Notes: Seg 1 Preview clip of Caliber Funds Real Estate Investing - Many ways to invest in real estate. You could do the DYI method, you buy a property and then manage it yourself as the landlord. You could fix and flip, where you buy a property invest in it do some upgrades, and then flip it for a profit in the short term. You could buy tax liens and get paid when the property taxes are paid off. You can invest in REITs, real estate investment trust. Similar to a Dividends stock you make money off the cash flow income to properties. There are major real estate investment funds, and this is what Caliber does. When investing in real estate there are a number of terms you should understand. Analyzing any property you on you need to know what your net operating income is. To do the calculation you take the total revenue generated by the property minus the operating expenses. Examples of operating expenses are property management fees utilities property taxes, maintenance, marketing and upkeep. Other terms of note – Cap Rate - Calculated by dividing a property's net operating income by its asset value, the cap rate is an assessment of the yield of a property over one year. For example, a property worth $14 million generating $600,000 of NOI would have a cap rate of 4.3%. ROI – return on investment Tax write offs like Depreciation, or expenses Interest rates for loans, and Refinances Valuation of property - Net operating income divided by the cap rate equals the valuation Seg 2 Greg with Caliber Funds Caliber is an integrated real estate company, that has multiple divisions - dealing from service to construction to investment funds. The company was started 15 years ago by Chris Loeffler out of Phoenix Arizona, and has since gone public. Greg works in the capital raising division, works with accredited investors, people with high net worth, institutions and family offices. Caliber has different types of funds, from growth, to income, to a balance of both. Caliber has 2000 Limited partners or LPs investing in their company. Caliber is considered the GP or general partner, the manager of the deal. Caliber takes on the management of the deal, negotiation, paperwork and bigger risk. For limited partners or LP (the investors), total risk is the capital they invested. The biggest opportunity in funds right now is opportunity zones. Income fund deals you invest for 12 to 24 months with an 11% return. More common deals are 3 to 5 years looking for a preferred return where the investor keeps the first 8% then it is an 80/20 split. Caliber has profit carried interest - Carried interest, or “carry” for short, is the percentage of a private fund's investment profits that a fund manager receives as compensation. Used primarily by private equity funds, including venture capital funds, carry is one of the primary ways fund managers are paid. Caliber shoots for deals that have a 5-year hold, with an internal rate of return or an IIR of 17%. Part of that is pass-through losses and depreciation, and tax write offs. Each investor in a 5 year deal receives a K-1 each year for their tax return. Fixed income, or note funds investors receive a standard 1099 for their tax return. Most real estate investments want to get a high return as it is an illiquidity premium. Your money could be tied up for 5 to 10 years so you should get a higher return. For investments that have a lot of liquidity like stocks, you may not expect the same type of return. Not uncommon after 3 years in a fund, there’s a liquidity event where there’s a refinance and then a capital distribution back to investors. Opportunity zones were created in 2017 with the passing of the Tax and Jobs Cut Act. These were real estate areas where there was below medium income, based on 2010 data. There are about 8700 of the zones in the US. An example could be a distressed part of town or even a college area. One of the locations that Caliber is targeting in Arizona is 80 acres, in and around the Talking Stick location by the 101. There are many tax benefits to investing in real estate. What the opportunity zones offer is to defer or possibly even eliminate capital gains over the long term. The way capital gains works with real estate, you have 180 days from a sale to put the sale proceeds somewhere or you need to pay taxes on it. Currently with the law, opportunity zones allow you to defer taxes to April 2027. There is also talk of extending this law to 2029. Seg 3 Capital gains works like this - long term capital gains is 12 months plus, and it’s at a 20% fixed federal rate. Short term capital gains work at 12 months or less, and then you pay your standard income tax rate. An Accredited Investor is someone who earns $200,000+ per year or has a net worth of investable assets of $1,000,000+. This is defined by the SEC. Caliber does a lot of education events to teach their investors about their private equity structure deals and how private equity real estate works. They often have webinars, different live events, classes and online videos. Investing in opportunity zones have many benefits. No. 1 is being able to defer the capital gains. No. 2 is there’s a 10 year hold on the investment, and then after that all appreciation is tax free. No. 3 as a limited partner you get the K-1 with the pass-through tax depreciation and other potential benefits. Caliber is the GP general partner or sponsor of the deal. The way a deal will break out as in the first 5 years you might earn zero, but in the second 5 years with a distribution in a refinance you could earn 50% plus. An example of a recent Caliber deal is they are working on a downtown revitalization of Mesa. With growth funds you can get the ROI and the tax benefits. Caliber shoots for high internal rate of return (IRR) of 15% plus where you can double your equity every 5 years. After year 5, then an 8% distribution. The goal is a 2.5x return multiple over 10 years in an investment. Typically a refinance is going to be the largest form of distribution. Another example of a recent caliber deal was a Shopping Center in north Scottsdale at Northsite & Raintree corner. A high occupancy property (strip mall) which they were able to improve on and get a return of 30+ percent after 2 years. They bought, increased tenants and amenities - then resold the property Seg 4 Interest rates always matter in real estate deals. Last 10+ years interest rates have been near zero, which has been great for real estate. Now with interest rates going up, you have to structure deals differently. Caliber brokers their deals very carefully with a 50/50 loan to value. No one deal is over levered. With more equity in a deal, you can get a lower interest rate on a loan. Caliber has a debt load of 33%. Caliber also has good relationships with specialty lenders and banks. Given the current interest rate environment, a refinance will not be as good as they were pre 2022. A sale of a good property with cash flow, is always a possibility. Especially, if you get a good enough offer. Example: Caliber bought a big property at $21 million, then 2 years later they were able to sell it at $27 million - after upgrades lease renewals etc. Anytime you own a commercial piece of real estate, there’s always the risk of no tenants. You want to de-risk the deal and buy a property with a high occupancy rate (tenants). You also get the depreciation and the steady income after the deal is closed. Rule # 1 - location, location, location. You’re always looking for a great neighborhood and the support the local businesses. This provides tailwinds to any real estate deal. You’re also looking for any other construction building in the area, for example apartment homes. Caliber has a few different funds to offer - fixed income, growth fund, core growth and income fund, opportunity zones, and syndication deals. Syndication Deals are large real estate investor deals that typically are going after bigger properties. Examples of this could be hotels being converted to apartments, or hospitals or hospitality trusts. Real Estate Topic: Investing Topic: More - BRT Best of: Thanks for Listening. Please Subscribe to the BRT Podcast. AZ Tech Roundtable 2.0 with Matt Battaglia The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. Common Topics Discussed: Startups, Founders, Funds & Venture Capital, Business, Entrepreneurship, Biotech, Blockchain / Crypto, Executive Comp, Investing, Stocks, Real Estate + Alternative Investments, and more… AZ TRT Podcast Home Page: ‘Best Of’ AZ TRT Podcast: Podcast on Google: Podcast on Spotify: More Info: KFNX Info: Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the Hosts, Guests and Speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent (or affiliates, members, managers, employees or partners), or any Station, Podcast Platform, Website or Social Media that this show may air on. All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes. Nothing said on this program should be considered advice or recommendations in: business, legal, real estate, crypto, tax accounting, investment, etc. Always seek the advice of a professional in all business ventures, including but not limited to: investments, tax, loans, legal, accounting, real estate, crypto, contracts, sales, marketing, other business arrangements, etc. /episode/index/show/brt-show/id/32613102

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