The Jason Cavness Experience

The Jason Cavness Experience where I talk to entrepreneurs and other interesting people.

John Conafay - Co-Founder & CEO at Integrate - Providing program management software for the world's most ambitious machines. 04/28/2024

John Conafay - Co-Founder & CEO at Integrate - Providing program management software for the world's most ambitious machines. John Conafay - Co-Founder & CEO at Integrate - Providing program management software for the world's most ambitious machines. Go to for the full episode and other episodes of The Jason Cavness Experience on your favorite platforms. Sponsor CavnessHR delivers HR companies with 49 or fewer people with our HR platform and by providing you access to your own HRBP. John’s Bio John Conafay is a US Air Force Veteran and the CEO and Co-Founder of Integrate, building program management software with a systems engineering approach for the world’s most ambitious machines. Previously he was an early employee at three space unicorns – Head of BD at ABL Space Systems, was one of the first ten employees at Astranis, and Interned at Spire Global early on. He also worked at the Office of the CFO NASA Headquarters while at BryceTech and was a Director of Business Development at Spaceflight. We talked about the following and other items Art, music, and the Air Force Fundraising, market validation, and investor diligence in the space industry. Fundraising for a startup in the space industry. Fundraising strategies for startups. Entrepreneurship, military service, and space exploration. Space industry, entrepreneurship, and the democratization of space technology. Space exploration and its potential benefits. Space technology, entrepreneurship, and the challenges of getting things done. Hiring and learning in software engineering. Startup equity splits and employee compensation. Sales strategies and industry conferences. Startups, entrepreneurship, and lessons learned. Design philosophy and product roadmap for a space technology company. Pricing and expansion strategies for a software company. Entrepreneurship, leadership, and self-care. Building software for managing hardware development. UFOs and extraterrestrial life. Space exploration, internet access, and AI. Space exploration and mining with a focus on India's space program. Entrepreneurship, work ethic, and self-care. Remote work and company culture . Military service and personal growth. Business growth and program management in the space industry. Leadership, decision-making, and trust in a startup environment. John’s Social Media John’s Linkedin: Integrate Website: Integrate X: John’s Advice Keep your friends close, and be good to your partner. Don't let those things fall by the wayside. Or learn how to not let those fall by the wayside. Because this can be absolutely all consuming. /episode/index/show/cavnesshr/id/30680723

Crystal Clarity is the COO for s2s Public Relations and Communications, a boutique public relations firm serving startups and small businesses, primarily in the life sciences, biotech and clean tech sectors. Crystal Clarity is the COO for s2s Public Relations and Communications, a boutique public relations firm serving startups and small businesses, primarily in the life sciences, biotech and clean tech sectors. Go to for the full episode and other episodes of The Jason Cavness Experience on your favorite platforms. Sponsor CavnessHR delivers HR companies with 49 or fewer people with our HR platform and by providing you access to your own HRBP. Crystal’s Bio Crystal Clarity is the COO for s2s Public Relations and Communications, a boutique public relations firm serving startups and small businesses, primarily in the life sciences, biotech and clean tech sectors. Crystal has built her career on the premise that clarity and authenticity build trust, strengthen relationships and foster success. She has spent the past 20 years working with startups, nonprofits and public sector organizations to build their brand through marketing, public relations, public affairs, events and internal communications. A former journalist, Crystal's prior roles include TV news Executive Producer, Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Pacific Science Center and, most recently, she led new business vertical development and investor relations for a Seattle-based startup. We talked about the following and other items Optimism, resilience, and helping others become more optimistic. Life balance, resilience, and self-care. Self-criticism and managing inner voices. News industry changes and storytelling. The challenges of modern journalism in the digital age. Storytelling, journalism, and entrepreneurship. Startup funding and vulnerability. Science education and outreach at Pacific Science Center. Generosity, leadership, and lifelong learning. Learning new skills and personal growth. Creating and maintaining a newsletter for a business. Content marketing for small businesses. Setting boundaries with clients in the PR industry. Crisis management and reputation management strategies. PR strategies for tech startups. Social media platforms for HR professionals and investors. New social media platforms and their potential for success. The dangers of poorly timed PR announcements. PR strategy and media placement. PR firm's approach to building relationships with journalists. Space technology, lifespan increase, and ethical considerations. Startup investment and networking in Seattle. PR agency's focus, business model, and work-life balance. Travel experiences and networking in various cities. Networking and events with a focus on building connections. Growing a content creation team and promoting Tacoma as a viable alternative to Seattle. Crystal’s Social Media Crystal’s LinkedIn: Crystal’s X: S2S PR Website: S2S PR X: Crystal’s Advice I think presence is probably the thing that is most scarce in our lives today. I think the more we can carve out time to be fully present, the more successful we're going to be in all the work that we do both personally and professionally. So if I could just put that out there as a kind of a thought, seek opportunities to be fully present with yourself and with people. Because there has never been a time where there have been more distractions and more noise than there is now. It's really hard to do good work and make a big difference when you've got 27 things on at the same time /episode/index/show/cavnesshr/id/30568173

Jason Doudt - CEO - Quantify 360 Solutions 04/14/2024

Jason Doudt - CEO - Quantify 360 Solutions Jason Doudt - CEO - Quantify 360 Solutions Go to for the full episode and other episodes of The Jason Cavness Experience on your favorite platforms. Sponsor CavnessHR delivers HR companies with 49 or fewer people with our HR platform and by providing you access to your own HRBP. Partners Message your customers - Payroll - Sales CRM for small business - Health Insurance and Benefits - Jason’s Bio As the CEO of Quantify 360 Solutions, Inc., I lead a dedicated team focused on driving digital transformation. With over 20 years of diverse experience in sales, consulting, and problem-solving, my journey is characterized by a steadfast commitment to helping clients and customers achieve their objectives through innovative solutions and strategic consulting. Currently, I also proudly serve as a Strategic/Government Account Executive for Astound Business Solutions. In this role, I am dedicated to expanding Astound's Fiber network through Dark and Lit networks in the Western Washington State Area. My mission here aligns with my broader professional philosophy: to facilitate efficiencies in network infrastructure solutions and offer technical consulting that genuinely impacts and improves business operations. Whether collaborating with founders, small to medium-sized businesses, or government accounts, my passion lies in solving problems through leading technology and digital transformation. My experience in the ISP space, enriched with specialized knowledge in fiber optic and data network solutions, underpins my ability to provide practical, forward-thinking, and sustainable technology solutions. Let’s connect to explore how we can collaboratively navigate the path of innovation, efficiency, and success in your technology journey. We talked about the following and other items Hobbies Small business challenges in Dupont, WA. Development in DuPont, Washington. Local development and military experience. Tech consulting, custom software development, and problem-solving. Choosing the right tech stack for a startup idea. Team structure and client onboarding in a small consulting firm. Outsourcing software development and finding skilled talent. Developer skills and AI's impact. Sales strategies and prospecting in the digital age. Outsourcing software development to Argentina and dealing with challenges. Outsourcing development work to remote teams. Remote work challenges and solutions. Remote work, AI, and technology advancements. AI ethics and governance. Chat GPT's potential features and developer tools. AI, robotics, and job displacement. AI, robots, and human dignity. Web3, blockchain, AI, and virtual reality. AI and its potential to widen the gap between developed and developing countries. Immigration, economic stability, and technology. AI education in schools and its potential impact. Data privacy and security in the digital age. Personal growth and societal messages. Work ethic, productivity, and work-life balance. Tech industry diversity and career development. Tech industry layoffs and finding affordable developers. Software development project management and client expectations. Starting a tech company with a focus on AI and social issues. Liberal arts education at Evergreen State College. Tolerance and understanding in America. Jason’s Social Media Jason’s LinkedIn: Company Website: https://www.q360s.com/ /episode/index/show/cavnesshr/id/30512138

M.H. Lines is the visionary Co-Founder and CEO of Stack Moxie, a trailblazer in automating marketing operations with a keen focus on leveraging AI to enhance efficiency and reliability. 04/07/2024

M.H. Lines is the visionary Co-Founder and CEO of Stack Moxie, a trailblazer in automating marketing operations with a keen focus on leveraging AI to enhance efficiency and reliability. M.H. Lines is the visionary Co-Founder and CEO of Stack Moxie, a trailblazer in automating marketing operations with a keen focus on leveraging AI to enhance efficiency and reliability. Go to for the full episode and other episodes of The Jason Cavness Experience on your favorite platforms. Sponsor CavnessHR delivers HR companies with 49 or fewer people with our HR platform and by providing you access to your own HRBP. M.H’s Bio M.H. Lines is the visionary Co-Founder and CEO of Stack Moxie, a trailblazer in automating marketing operations with a keen focus on leveraging AI to enhance efficiency and reliability. Under her leadership, Stack Moxie has emerged as a critical solution for enterprises navigating the complexities of AI integration in sales and marketing technologies. M.H.'s expertise in operational excellence was honed at Microsoft Office, where she led initiatives to build a Marketing Operations Center of Excellence. This experience laid the groundwork for her innovative approach at Stack Moxie, marrying DevOps principles with advanced AI to solve the "last mile of AI" challenge in marketing operations. With an MBA in Technology Management from the University of Washington and a strong foundation in finance from Florida State University, M.H.'s strategic vision is not only about harnessing AI for operational efficiency but also about ensuring that Stack Moxie's solutions drive sustainable and scalable growth for its clients. We talked about the following and other items Self-care for entrepreneurs and business leaders. Gender pay gap and startup funding. Cold emailing and spam prevention. Cybersecurity and data privacy for businesses. Privacy concerns and cold outreach in marketing. Company values and ego in a startup. Fundraising, leadership, and company growth. Startup culture and funding. Fundraising, product management, and diversity in tech. Product management roles and responsibilities. Product management, ego, and decision-making. Diversity in AI initiatives and perspectives. Startup struggles and high expectations. Fundraising, growth, and AI with a female founder. AI's impact on business and ethical considerations. Seattle's tech startup scene and its comparisons to San Francisco. Enterprise sales, personal relationships, and mentors. Mentorship, entrepreneurship, and personal growth. Entrepreneurship, leadership, and fundraising. Startup growth, product development, and customer focus. Entrepreneurship, leadership, and team management. AI product development and market fit. Agile Methodology and Diversity in Tech. Gender bias in venture capital and fundraising. AI, remote work, and product development. Tech leadership, scaling, and security. Leadership, sales, and customer success strategies. M.H’s Social Media M.H.’s LinkedIn: Company Website: https://www.stackmoxie.com/ M.H.’s X: M.H.’s Advice My daddy always says nothing happens until someone sells. That's the whole point of the company. Nothing happens until someone sells something. So for all the sales leader out there who might have broken systems I want them to feel free to reach out to me. I'll help them make sure that they can sell something. /episode/index/show/cavnesshr/id/30350673

Joshua Brumley - CEO at Brumley Law Firm, PLLC 03/31/2024

Joshua Brumley - CEO at Brumley Law Firm, PLLC Go to for the full episode and other episodes of The Jason Cavness Experience on your favorite platforms. Sponsor CavnessHR delivers HR companies with 49 or fewer people with our HR platform and by providing you access to your own HRBP. Joshua’s Bio Joshua is a Washington State native, raised in the Tacoma area. After graduating from the University of Washington, he earned his MBA at Jacksonville University and completed his law degree at Florida Coastal School of Law. Joshua has practiced as an attorney with the Washington State Bar Association since 2015. He has served as pro-tem. Judge and is the owner of Brumley Law Firm whose mission is to empower our community by providing client focused service, one car crash at a time. As the managing attorney at Brumley Law Firm, Joshua works daily to ensure that the team delivers the most professional and supportive legal services in Western Washington. This dedication is among the many reasons his peers recognized him in the select group of Rising Stars of the 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 Super Lawyers survey. Community involvement in the South Sound region is important to Joshua. In addition to serving on the board of directors for the Pierce County Center for Dispute Resolution, he is a member of the Puyallup Tribal Bar, Tulalip Tribal Bar, South King County Bar Association, Federal Bar Association, and has served two terms as President of the Young Lawyers Division of the Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association. He has served as a barrister member of American Inns of Court, and he is dedicated to promoting the highest levels of professionalism in the practice of law. In his free time, Joshua enjoys skateboarding, playing bass guitar and spending time at the dog park with his Goldendoodle, Gilbert. We talked about the following and other items Business, leadership, and personal interests with Josh Bromley. Music scene in Seattle and personal experiences with playing music. Punk music, live shows, and running a nonprofit music venue. Veganism and its impact on health and lifestyle. Animal treatment and ethics in agriculture. Food industry, nutrition, and ethics. Healthy eating habits and lifestyle. Mike Tyson's upcoming fight and past controversies. Personal injury cases and insurance tactics. Personal injury law and insurance claims. Insurance company GEICO's negotiation tactics and litigiousness. Personal injury law and social media privacy. Insurance claims and negotiation strategies. Personal injury claims and representation. Insurance claims and representation. Charity work and humanitarian efforts in Haiti. The importance of lawyers and community engagement. Becoming a lawyer and its challenges. Law school, work ethic, and public speaking. Legal strategies and judicial dynamics. Career choices and job satisfaction. HR policies and laws for small businesses. HR policies and laws for businesses. Employee performance and retention strategies. Workload management and case handling in a personal injury law firm. Employee rights and pay in the US. Employment law and workplace harassment. Attracting and retaining top talent in a small business. Employee motivation and loyalty. Effective management and leadership techniques. Workplace communication and morale. Employee promotions and management. Managing and motivating employees in a small business. Hiring and retention strategies for small businesses. Managing employees and work-life balance. Employee performance reviews and salary negotiations. Remote work, pay, and expectations in the workplace. Remote work policies and win loss rate in legal industry. Legal ethics and professional conduct in law. Becoming a lawyer and licensing requirements. Starting a law firm, tattoos, and growth vision. Joshua’s Social Media Joshua’s LinkedIn: Website: Instagram: Twitter: Joshua’s Advice I think being a business owner is incredibly difficult. Remember that these people depend on you to set a good example for what this business is and to not be an absent business owner. You can't be involved as, as a leader, as a manager, as an owner of business. If you're not physically present. If you don't understand what your staff is doing, you have to know that job as well as they know it, to be able to manage them. If you don't know it, you need to hire someone to manage them, who does /episode/index/show/cavnesshr/id/30325148

Ellenor McIntosh - CoFounder Twipes - Twipes is dedicated to combating the environmental issue of wet wipes pollution by offering sustainable alternatives 03/24/2024

Ellenor McIntosh - CoFounder Twipes - Twipes is dedicated to combating the environmental issue of wet wipes pollution by offering sustainable alternatives Ellenor McIntosh - CoFounder Twipes - Twipes is dedicated to combating the environmental issue of wet wipes pollution by offering sustainable alternatives Go to for the full episode and other episodes of The Jason Cavness Experience on your favorite platforms. Sponsor CavnessHR delivers HR companies with 49 or fewer people with our HR platform and by providing you access to your own HRBP. Elle’s Bio Elle is a Black female scientist from Britain with a passion for sustainability. With her background in biochemical and materials science, Elle invented the biotech behind Twipes – the world's first truly flushable and truly biodegradable wet wipes. Elle won the Princess Diana Award in 2019 for her achievements in science, was named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list in 2020, and has been featured in publications such as TimeOut and The Guardian. Additionally, she and Twipes cofounder Al Bozorgi were named the Mayor's Fund for London Entrepreneurs of the Year in 2017. We talked about the following and other items Self-care for entrepreneurs and business leaders. Work-life balance and time management Work-from-home productivity and London living. Intelligence, curiosity, and self-doubt. Childhood curiosity and dedication to finding a cure for Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's disease, genetics, and mitochondrial DNA. Gene editing and ethics. Being a minority in a scientific field. Gender bias in entrepreneurship. Women's support and International Women's Day. Workplace discrimination and support for new parents. Motherhood, resilience, and empowerment. AI, self-confidence, and the rate of technological advancement. Self-driving cars and their impact on society. Job loss, Pokemon, and publicity. Product development, materials science, and sustainability. Awards, entrepreneurship, and overcoming challenges. Sustainable wipes and their impact on the environment. Dealing with difficult days and fundraising for a startup. Elle’s Social Media Elle’s LinkedIn: Twipes: Instagram: Elle’s Advice Utilize your networks, talk to people and just have fun. Everyone thinks it's so hard. It's a lot of grindy shit you've got to do. But just try and enjoy it along the way. But do take your time and enjoy this journey. Because, you know, for a long time I looked back and I was like, I can't remember half of the journey because I didn't enjoy it. Now I'm just embracing every opportunity /episode/index/show/cavnesshr/id/30301603

Evelyn Smith - Marketing PhD Candidate at University of Washington - AI Fairness and Marketing 03/17/2024

Evelyn Smith - Marketing PhD Candidate at University of Washington - AI Fairness and Marketing Evelyn Smith - Marketing PhD Candidate at University of Washington - AI Fairness and Marketing Go to for the full episode and other episodes of The Jason Cavness Experience on your favorite platforms. Sponsor CavnessHR delivers HR companies with 49 or fewer people with our HR platform and by providing you access to your own HRBP. Evy’s Bio Marketing Professor, Ph.D. in Game Theory/Mathematical Modeling. Researching Marketing Implications of AI, AI Fairness, Responsible AI, Web3/Blockchain, Pricing, and Technology Strategy. We talked about the following and other items PhD research and personal sacrifices. PhD programs, teaching, and research. College grades, motivation, and professional goals. College purpose, job market, and data ambassadorship. Peer review process in academic publishing. Marketing strategies and targeting the right audience. Startup hiring, marketing, and sales strategies. Game theory and decision-making in business. Game theory and decision-making. Game theory, decision-making, and the possibility of being in a simulation. Game theory and AI fairness in content recommendation. AI ethics and job displacement. Tech advancements, data privacy, and AI. Data privacy and security in the digital age. Data privacy and security risks for companies. Data privacy and security in the digital age. Cybersecurity and online safety. Technology's impact on society and personal freedom. AI, energy consumption, and job displacement. AI, communication, and ethics. Coding as a blue-collar job. Coding education and job opportunities in the US. AI's impact on society and jobs. Marketing strategies and academic freedom. The concentration of power in tech companies. Academic advising and student success. College education and career choices. Career choices and parental influence. Scientific integrity and funding in academia. International students in the US and brain drain. Intelligence, wisdom, and knowledge. College experiences and potential. Career paths in academia and cultural adaptations. Career plans, job mobility, and research in a small town. Media bias and the challenges of finding reliable sources. AI fairness and marketing strategies. Evy’s Social Media Evy’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evelynosmith/ /episode/index/show/cavnesshr/id/30206413

Kevin Goldsmith - Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at DistroKid, Board Member, Advisor, and International Speaker 03/10/2024

Kevin Goldsmith - Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at DistroKid, Board Member, Advisor, and International Speaker Kevin Goldsmith - Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at DistroKid, Board Member, Advisor, and International Speaker Go to for the full episode and other episodes of The Jason Cavness Experience on your favorite platforms. Sponsor CavnessHR delivers HR companies with 49 or fewer people with our HR platform and by providing you access to your own HRBP. Kevin’s Book It Depends: Writing on Technology Leadership 2012-2022 Go to to order Kevin’s book on Technology Leadership Kevin’s Bio Kevin Goldsmith serves as the Chief Technology Officer for DistroKid, the world's largest digital music distributor. Previously, he was the CTO of Anaconda, Inc., the world's most popular data science platform with over 25 million users. Before joining Anaconda, he served as CTO of AI-powered identity management company Onfido. Other roles have included CTO at Avvo, vice president of engineering, consumer at Spotify, and nine years at Adobe Systems as a director of engineering. He has also held software engineering roles at Microsoft and IBM. Goldsmith is also the founder and principal at Nimble Autonomy, LLC., where he consults with growing startups working to scale their technology and teams deliberately and thoughtfully and with established companies working to be more innovative and agile in their product development practices. Kevin is the author of “It Depends: Writing on Technology Leadership 2012-2022” which will be released in March 2024 by Unit Circle Press. We talked about the following and other items Photography hobby and career. Travel experiences and favorite places. Travel hacks, music, and creativity. Music distribution and platform fees. Music distribution and analytics. Music industry, piracy, and entrepreneurship. Music industry evolution and creativity. Public speaking and music. Living and working in Sweden, cultural differences, and social safety net. Tech industry career choices and growth. Software development as a blue-collar trade. Career development and job security in the tech industry. Tech career paths and management roles . Career choices for developers between big companies and startups. CTO roles, responsibilities, and skills. Product development, design, and sales. Job search process and company culture. Hiring and company culture. Interviewing and assessing developer skills. Hiring and coaching employees. Performance improvement plans and employee termination. Company culture and transparency. Engineering and product development experiences. Product development and success. Work-life balance and self-awareness in the tech industry. Managing diverse teams across cultures and locations. Cultural differences in a global tech company. Music industry, company culture, and entrepreneurship. Self-publishing a book on tech management. Self-publishing a book with limited resources. Kevin’s Social Media Kevin’s LinkedIn: Kevin’s Site: Kevin’s Mastodon: Kevin’s Twitter: Kevin’s Instagram: Kevin’s YouTube: Kevin’s Github: https://github.com/kevingoldsmith /episode/index/show/cavnesshr/id/30152723

Cathy Bisaillon- President/CEO Easter Seals Washington 03/03/2024

Cathy Bisaillon- President/CEO Easter Seals Washington Cathy Bisaillon- President/CEO Easter Seals Washington Go to for the full episode and other episodes of The Jason Cavness Experience on your favorite platforms. Sponsor CavnessHR delivers HR companies with 49 or fewer people with our HR platform and by providing you access to your own HRBP. Cathy’s Bio Cathy Bisaillon has been the President and Chief Cathy Bisaillon Executive Officer of Easterseals Washington since 2002. Her commitment to helping people with disabilities and their families dates back to her ninth birthday when she met her cousin, Beth Ann, who had Down Syndrome. From that day, Cathy formed the attitude that all people deserve the opportunity to feel productive, valued, and included in their communities. Growing up in Southern California, Cathy received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology (with an emphasis in Industrial/Organization Psychology) from California State University, Fullerton. She was excited to learn that she could put her degree to work while fulfilling her passion of developing services for people with disabilities. After directing programs for needy and at-risk families in rural Nevada, Cathy and her family moved to Kitsap County, Washington, where she saw the familiar Easterseals logo and knew that she found a career home. Cathy started at Easterseals as an Employment Specialist in 1995, learning first-hand how much being employed adds status, purpose, and relationships to people’s lives. She was promoted to the director of Workforce Development, and then to Vice President of Programs in the year 2000. As CEO, Cathy represents all facets of the organization throughout the state. She serves on several coalitions and Boards, and she is the current President of The Rotary Club of Silverdale. Her interests include Rotary Youth Exchange, family and dog time, and playing saxophone and clarinet in several community bands. We talked about the following and other items Asking for help, saxophone playing, and personal growth. Rotary Club membership, networking, and leadership. Disability employment awareness and accessibility. Disability, inclusion, and personal growth. Nonprofit organization's financial management and growth. Nonprofit management and fundraising strategies. Camp for people with disabilities. Disability support and inclusion. Nonprofit management and mentorship. Leadership, growth, and development in a non-profit organization. Disability advocacy and inclusivity. Kidney donation and its impact. Cathy’s Social Media Cathy’s LinkedIn: Easter Seals Washington Website: Cathy’s Advice My life has been so enriched through service. AI would just say, you should always seek out those opportunities to serve. Don't wait until you think you're gonna have time or you retire or whatever. Seek out those opportunities now to serve because it not only benefits the people you're serving, but you grow through the process. I'm all about service. /episode/index/show/cavnesshr/id/30047938

Sean Robinson - Scientist/Entrepreneur leading ML/Al Teams 02/25/2024

Sean Robinson - Scientist/Entrepreneur leading ML/Al Teams Go to for the full episode and other episodes of The Jason Cavness Experience on your favorite platforms. Sponsor CavnessHR delivers HR companies with 49 or fewer people with our HR platform and by providing you access to your own HRBP. Sean’s Bio I am a scientist and entrepreneur leading ML/AI teams and research in the Seattle area. I earned my Ph.D. in computational astrophysics from the University of Washington, developing source characterization algorithms for a NASA/DOE Gamma Ray Telescope. I then became involved in numerical simulation, modeling, Monte-Carlo particle transport, machine learning and anomaly detection, as well as in the direction of international nuclear policy. I served as researcher and science lead for various projects in computational physics and was involved in development of computer vision algorithms, spatial object localization, deep learning for anomaly detection and NLP. A passion for entrepreneurialism and developing algorithms to empower business products led me to the startup world, where I have led ML/AI concepts and teams across a broad spectrum in an R&D environment, and applied descriptive and inferential statistics to marketing, and process optimization for business. I have been active in the areas of Image Generation Models (e.g. StableDiffusion) and Large Language Models (LLM) (e.g. the GPT series) for many years and am excited for the future of tech in these areas. I also produce the occasional academic paper about my research and continue to operate at the nexus of tech development, business and management. In my free time, you can often find me bicycling, participating in or helping to organize LARP events, or speaking at conventions about the nature of science and technology in pop culture and the future of the modern world. We talked about the following and other items Rock climbing and its mental benefits Universal basic income and its effectiveness Developing detection algorithms for nuclear security AI research and entrepreneurship. Startup ideas and investment criteria Startup funding and validation process Startup success factors Particle simulation in physics Particle physics and detector simulations Dark matter and the search for alternative theories Consciousness through AI development Ethical considerations in AI development AI decision-making and validation AI's impact on various industries and startups. AI technology and its limitations AI technology and its global implications Sean’s Social Media Sean’s LinkedIn: Sean’s FB: Sean’s Advice We have a really good shot here. My whole career has been about taking this shot. How do we get beyond scarcity? This is such a big dream and one of the first times we've really had a shot at it. So if we all work hard, we probably will get there. If you're the sort of person who's good at talking, try and convince people that this is going to be good. We are gonna get to the good side of this future. I really want it to be the good side. Please keep working towards that. /episode/index/show/cavnesshr/id/30004163

David Robicheaux- Founder at Blackmuse LLC 02/18/2024

David Robicheaux- Founder at Blackmuse LLC Go to www.thejasoncavnessexperience.com for the full episode and other episodes of The Jason Cavness Experience on your favorite platforms. Sponsor CavnessHR delivers HR companies with 49 or fewer people with our HR platform and by providing you access to your own HRBP. www.CavnessHR.com David’s Bio David, former VP of Project Management at Sitebiz and Senior IT Specialist, excelled in e-commerce website development, graphic design, front-end development and project management, demonstrating Agile leadership, effective collaboration, client service commitment, and portfolio oversight. His versatile role at ABetterTrack further showcased skills in curriculum creation,teaching career skills at various schools and Echo Glen Children’s Center in Washington State as a Life Coach and Instructor, where he developed two State approved immersive reality courses in partnership with the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, teaching teen career development and self-advocacy at high schools in Seattle, Yakima, and Tacoma. This has required high level skills in virtual reality development in Unity, C# programming language and visual scripting, 3D modeling in Blender, dialectic and cognitive behavioral therapy tactics, understanding and teaching about the metaverse, cryptocurrency, and NFT’s, thus enhancing team management, strategic planning, problem-solving, VR course development and client services. We talked about the following and other items Military service, wealth disparities and social class Spiritual awakening and personal transformation Gender Identity and surgery for minors Blackmuse pitch competition Blackmuse AR/VR Religion, philosophy and the bible Conspiracy theories The nature of reality and time The interconnectedness of emotions and reality Improving the education system for creatives and innovators Psychedelics and Veteran mental health The impact of marijuana on creativity and productivity. David’s Social Media David’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blackmusellc/ Blackmuse website: https://www.blackmuse.net/ David’s Advice There is no such thing as a bad idea. No such thing as a bad bad question. The only bad question is the unasked question. Take a chance on yourself and your idea. Stay away from the haters and stop chasing clout and find your quiet space. /episode/index/show/cavnesshr/id/29895103

This Episode of The Jason Cavness Experience is from when I was a guest on the Pro Dev Hot Seat 02/11/2024

George Tasick Founder Pyrobotics 02/04/2024

Natasha Petrovich- Top Brass - PNW Bar Events 01/28/2024

Emily Cheng is the CEO & Co-Founder of MedVenture 01/21/2024

Emily Cheng is the CEO & Co-Founder of MedVenture Emily Cheng is the CEO & Co-Founder of MedVenture Go to for the full episode and other episodes of The Jason Cavness Experience on your favorite platforms. Sponsor CavnessHR delivers HR companies with 49 or fewer people with our HR platform and by providing you access to your own HRBP. Emily’s Bio Emily Cheng is a multipotentialite Critical Care Travel Nurse turned Nurse Innovator/Entrepreneur. She is the CEO & Co-Founder of MedVenture App, a mobile app to unite and empower traveling healthcare professionals through community, resources, and tools. Passionate about supporting our traveling healthcare professionals who go above and beyond to respond to staffing shortages all around the country. She is here to challenge the status quo of an archaic travel healthcare industry and revolutionizing from a first hand perspective. Emily is advocating & creating an ecosystem with the well-being of traveling healthcare professionals at the center. She is a thought-leader, life-long learner, and change-maker. She loves to create and implement strategies and systems. She loves intersectionality - between healthcare, impact, environmentalism, diversity, equity, and inclusion, personal development, the great outdoors, and digital creation. On her time off, you can find her backpacking, hiking, stand-up paddle boarding, meditating, journaling, traveling - anything that helps her connect to her passions, the natural world, herself, and others! We talked about the following and other items Backpacking and Hiking Meditation, Psychedelics and Mindfulness Travel Nursing and the Benefits MedVenture Co-Founding a Startup and Entrepreneurship Marketing Emily’s Social Media Emily’s Linkedin: MedVenture Website: MedVenture Instagram: Emily’s Instagram: Emily’s Advice Investing in yourself is never a waste of time, or resources is the best investment you can make in life. /episode/index/show/cavnesshr/id/28996943

For this episode of The Jason Cavness Experience, I am covering HR Laws you have to follow if your company has 49 or fewer employees 01/14/2024

For this episode of The Jason Cavness Experience, I am covering HR Laws you have to follow if your company has 49 or fewer employees For this episode of The Jason Cavness Experience, I am covering HR Laws you have to follow if your company has 49 or fewer employees CavnessHR Product/Market Fit Validation and Tech Platform Validation To help us with our product market fit and tech platform validation. We are providing Employee Handbooks and HR policies at no cost to companies with 49 or fewer people in the city of Seattle. Email me at if you are interested in this. Go to for the full episode and other episodes of The Jason Cavness Experience on your favorite platforms. Sponsor CavnessHR delivers HR companies with 49 or fewer people with our HR platform and by providing you access to your own HRBP. HR Laws for Small Business with 49 or fewer employees If you have at least one employee, the following HR laws apply to you. Drug-Free Workplace Act: The Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 only applies to federal grant recipients and federal contractors with a contract for more than $100,000. Drug-Free Workplace Requirements Generally, it requires that covered employers: adopt a drug-free workplace policy; and establish a drug-free awareness program. Employers faced with alcohol and drug use in the workplace often consider employee and applicant drug testing as a way to reduce safety risks and avoid other problems caused by employee drug use. Employers that use drug testing should be aware of the many laws and regulations governing safety, employee privacy, and disability. The issues involved include both legally mandated and voluntary drug-free workplace programs, discrimination and accommodation, testing, and special requirements for the transportation industry. Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA): Prohibits intentional interceptions of wire, oral, or electronic communications. https://it.ojp.gov/privacyliberty/authorities/statutes/1285 Employee Polygraph Protection Act: Forbids most employers to use lie detectors. Poster required. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/polygraph Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA): Regulates benefits through a complex series of rules covering pensions, profit-sharing, stock bonus, and most insurance and other benefit plans. What is ERISA? The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) was enacted to ensure that employees receive the pension and other benefits promised by their employers. ERISA also incorporates and is tied to Internal Revenue Code (IRC) provisions designed to encourage employers to provide retirement and other benefits to their employees. Most provisions of ERISA and the IRC are intended to ensure that tax-favored pension plans do not favor the highest-paid employees over rank-and-file employees. ERISA has a complex series of rules that cover pension, profit-sharing, stock bonus, and most “welfare benefit plans,” such as health and life insurance. ERISA has created a single federal standard for employee benefits, and it supersedes almost all state laws that affect employee benefit plans. An employer's responsibilities under ERISA vary depending on the type of plan involved. https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/retirement/erisa Military Leave -Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) of 1994: Prohibits discrimination against those who serve in the military; mandates military leave of absence. With the increased use of reserve and National Guard troops in full-time military service, employers must frequently deal with the requirements of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) of 1994 when those employees are called to active services and when they return. USERRA governs the leave and reinstatement requirements for military personnel. The law contains specific requirements for protected leave, rules for benefits employees are entitled to during military leave, and the requirements for reinstatement back in the civilian workforce. https://www.dol.gov/vets/programs/userra/userra_fs.htm Employee Right to Know Laws (Hazardous Chemicals in Workplace): A disclosure rule that requires private sector employers with hazardous substances in their workplace to develop a comprehensive hazard communication program to train and inform employees. https://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3111.html National Labor Relations Act (NLRA): Employees have the right to organize and bargain collectively for wages, hours, and working conditions. The National Labor Relations Act of 1935 (NLRA) was passed by Congress to encourage a healthy relationship between private sector workers and their employers. It was designed to curtail work stoppages, strikes, and general labor strife, which were viewed by Congress as harmful to the economy and the nation’s welfare. To this end, the Act defines and protects the rights of employees and employers, encourages collective bargaining, and prohibits certain practices on the part of both labor and management. The NLRA also provides a system for conducting elections to determine who represents the employees and for enforcement of the strictures against unfair practices by any of the parties. https://www.nlrb.gov/guidance/key-reference-materials/national-labor-relations-act Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA): Employers must furnish a workplace that is free from recognized hazards. Poster required. https://webapps.dol.gov/elaws/elg/osha.htm Equal Pay Act (EPA): Forbids discrimination in pay on the basis of gender. Poster required. Two federal statutes prohibit gender-based differences in pay: the Equal Pay Act of 1963 (EPA) and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII). Title VII and other federal laws also prohibit pay discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, and disability. Although the EPA and Title VII both prohibit pay discrimination based on gender, the laws differ in several aspects, including coverage, enforcement, and remedies. https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/epa.cfm Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): Regulates the payment of minimum wages and overtime. Poster required. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), also known as the federal Wage and Hour Law, regulates minimum wage, overtime, equal pay, recordkeeping, and child labor for employees of enterprises engaged in interstate or foreign commerce and employees of state and local governments. The FLSA is enforced by the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The FLSA applies in all states, but states are permitted to develop their own laws and regulations to provide even greater protection for their workers than is provided under federal law. In cases in which the two laws conflict, the law most beneficial to the employee prevails. Therefore, it is essential that employers understand both the state and federal laws. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/flsa Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA): Employers must verify that workers are legally entitled to work in the United States. IRCA also prohibits employers from discriminating in hiring, firing, recruiting, or referring based on national orgin or citizensip status. It is also illegal to retaliate against an employee who has filed. The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA) bars employers from hiring individuals, including undocumented immigrants, who are not legally entitled to work in the United States Employers must verify that individual are eligible to work by obtaining an Employment eligibility Verification Form, know as Form I-9 and inspecting the required supporting documents at the time of hiring. I-9 forms must be retained for 3 years after the worker is hired or for one year after termination, whichever is longer. https://www.uscis.gov/i-9 Federal Income Tax Withholding: Employers are required to make deductions from employees' pay for Social Security. Employers are required by law to make deductions from the pay of their employees for federal income tax, for Social Security tax under the Federal Insurance Contribution Act (FICA), and for Medicare tax. The government provides detailed tables for the computation of these withholding amounts. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Publication 15 (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide, provides details and may be obtained on the IRS website . What do employers need to consider regarding Social Security and Medicare? The Social Security program was created by the federal Social Security Act. It is a worker-employer-government insurance program, covering benefits for retirement, survivors, disability and Medicare. Employers withhold two separate taxes from employees’ paychecks. One is the Social Security tax and the other is the Medicare tax. Medicare, which is funded through taxes, provides health insurance for people aged 65 or older and many people with disabilities. Medicare consists of Parts A (hospital insurance), B (medical insurance), and C (Medicare Advantage), which offer additional preventive health benefits and patient protections. In 2006, Medicare began offering prescription drug plans, known as Part D. https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/federal-income-tax-withholding Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) of 1935 (Social Security): Employers and Employees are required to contribute to Social Security and Medicare. https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc751 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA): Limits the duration of pre-existing condition exclusion in group health plans and gives new enrollees credit for prior coverage. https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/index.html If you have at least 15 employees, the following HR laws apply to you. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Forbids discrimination against the disabled. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits disability discrimination. In the workplace, employers cannot discriminate against a qualified individual with a disability. Reasonable accommodation by employers is required absent undue hardship. The ADA Amendments Acts of 2008 (ADAAA) and its regulations significantly broadened the definition of disability, shifting the focus away from whether an individual has a disability and toward whether discrimination occurred. https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/disability/ada Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA): Forbids discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. Several federal laws protect or grant rights to workers on the basis of pregnancy or related medical conditions. These rights and protections may include the right to be free from discrimination, harassment, and stereotypes; the right to reasonable workplace accommodations, such as job modifications, extended or additional breaks, and leave; the right to leave for pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions, and bonding; and the right to equivalent fringe benefits, such as health insurance. https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/pregnancy.cfm Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act: To prohibit discrimination on the basis of genetic information with respect to health insurance and employment. The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) prohibits genetic information discrimination against employees or job applicants. https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/gina.cfm Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964: Prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. Federal fair employment laws protect employees from discrimination based on age, race, color, sex, national origin, religion, disability, and genetic information. Federal law covers employers of 15 or more employees, except for the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), which covers employers with 20 or more employees. State laws often cover employers with fewer employees and provide protection for groups not covered under federal law. Certain individuals in the workplace, such as independent contractors, are not protected by federal fair employment laws if they are not employees. Employers are liable for discriminatory acts by supervisors—in some cases, strictly liable. There are many preventive measures an employer can take to reduce the probability of being sued for discrimination. Civil rights laws also impose numerous recordkeeping requirements on employers. https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/titlevii.cfm Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Update): Extends prohibition of discrimination on the basis of sex to gay, lesbian, and transgender individuals. https://www.npr.org/2020/06/15/863498848/supreme-court-delivers-major-victory-to-lgbtq-employees If you have at least 20 employees, the following HR laws apply to you. Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA): Forbids the discrimination on the basis of age 40 and over. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) prohibits all public employers and private employers with 20 or more employees from discriminating against employees or applicants based on age. Individuals must be at least 40 years of age to be covered by the ADEA. Harassment of employees based on age is also unlawful discrimination. The ADEA also protects an older worker's disability payments, retirement incentives, life insurance, pension, and retirement plans. Amendments to the ADEA set out standards for waivers of legal rights by older employees in return for retirement incentives. Many states also have fair employment laws that prohibit age discrimination. Different age groups may be protected under state law, and smaller employers may be subject to state requirements. https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/adea.cfm Consolidated Omnibus Benefits Reconciliation Act (COBRA): Requires that employees who lose coverage under group health plans be given a continuation option. CavnessHR Product/Market Fit Validation and Tech Platform Validation To help us with our product market fit and tech platform validation. We are providing Employee Handbooks and HR policies at no cost to companies with 49 or fewer people in the city of Seattle. Email me at [email protected] if you are interested in this. /episode/index/show/cavnesshr/id/29468088

Chandler Lewis, M.Sc (he/him/neurodivergent), is the Founder and Managing Director of 360 Social Impact Studios and the Director of Equity and Inclusion at the Cross Cultural Health Care Program (CCHCP). Go to for the full episode and other episodes of The Jason Cavness Experience on your favorite platforms. Sponsor CavnessHR delivers HR companies with 49 or fewer people with our HR platform and by providing you access to your own HRBP. Chandler’s Bio Chandler Lewis, M.Sc (he/him/neurodivergent), is the Founder and Managing Director of 360 Social Impact Studios and the Director of Equity and Inclusion at the Cross Cultural Health Care Program (CCHCP). With over 13 years of experience in childhood and adult education, start-ups, non-profit management, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and management consulting. Chandler has a rich history of working with organizations that serve under-represented communities. His focus is particularly on social impact innovation and mental health. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Washington and a Master’s of Science in Organizational Leadership, with an emphasis in public safety leadership, from The Johns Hopkins University. Previously, he worked as the Operations Manager for JustLead Washington, fostering a sustainable network of community leaders who collaboratively work toward equity and justice throughout Washington State. Chandler continues his community leadership as the Executive Director of Circle of Friends for Mental Health, a mental health- focused nonprofit based in Seattle, WA, that provides therapeutic creative arts programming to people struggling with homelessness, addicon, or mental health challenges. In recent years, Chandler has been extensively involved with numerous life science and technology startups in the Pacific Northwest, providing a wide range of consulting services focused on organizational and product development. His expertise lies in supporting the creation of organizational strategic plans, product development roadmaps, clinical and regulatory implementation strategies, and global business development plans. He also has significant experience working with organizations at the intersection of human services and juice, having spent 5 years with King County Dependency CASA as a Court Appointed Special Advocate and Guardian Ad-Litem. Chandler also works extensively with the University of Washington and has served as an Adjunct Instructor for the UW CoMoon/National Science Foundation's Innovation Corps (I-Corps) Program. He serves as a Faculty Mentor and Advisor for several prestigious programs, including The Tombolo Institute at Bellevue College, Washington State University and SP3NW’s Flexible Infrastructure for Resilient Entrepreneurship (FIRE) program, The Washington State Department of Commerce, UW CoMoon Advisory Services, UW CoMoon Labs, UW School of Nursing, and the Masters of Science in Entrepreneurship Program at the Foster School of Business. A certified CCHCP Equity and Inclusion trainer, Chandler leads a 40-hour certification program several times a year. He also holds certifications such as Lifecycles Capacity Consultant, Leading Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Technology of Participation (ToP): Facilitation Methods & Strategy Planning, Social Impact Strategy: Tools for Entrepreneurs and Innovators, and Human Centered Design Workshop Trainer/Facilitator. Chandler has engaged groups at all levels and has provided leadership on projects with organizations including the UW School of Medicine, Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA), Marshfield Clinic Health System, Providence Health System, the Northern Cheyenne Tribal Health Department, Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC), Solid Ground, Mary’s Place, and the Washington State Nursing Commission. We talked about the following and other items Trade mission to Australia with Washington State Governor Jay Inslee Rural Opportunities and digital learning DEI Mental Health 360 Social Impact Studios Starting a VC fund Entrepreneurship Chandler’s Social Media Chandler’s Linkedin: 360 Social Impact Studios: /episode/index/show/cavnesshr/id/28905258

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Steve Banks is the Founder and President of Banks Sports Ventures., a sports management company which represents and guides the careers of professional athletes. 11/26/2023

Steve Banks is the Founder and President of Banks Sports Ventures., a sports management company which represents and guides the careers of professional athletes. Steve Banks is the Founder and President of Banks Sports Ventures., a sports management company which represents and guides the careers of professional athletes. Go to for the full episode and other episodes of The Jason Cavness Experience on your favorite platforms. Steve’s Bio Steve Banks is the Founder and President of Banks Sports Ventures., a sports management company which represents and guides the careers of professional athletes. Prior to re-establishing BSV, he served as CEO of ShotTek Inc., a sports technology wearables company and the creators of Peace Shooter, the world’s first smart shot trainer (or real-time-feedback shot trainer) for basketball players. As a consultant with ShotTek, “I saw the long-term goal and the vision of Larry Peterson, Founder and President of ShotTek”. Having served in several roles as Steve’s professional career has continued to evolve, Eli Lilly was a welcomed break from the hustle and bustle of the sports world. Steve worked for Eli Lilly in the Diabetes Unit facilitating presentations for Endocrinologist’s, Primary Care Physicians, and clinic staff, bringing awareness to all of the benefits our diabetic medications provide. In 2015 while working at New York Life his first child was born, in which the decision was made to take a couple of years off after a two-year stint as a Life Insurance Executive. “My time there was an amazing ride, having been recognized as the Top Performer in the African American Unit, 2014 “Rookie of the Year”, and the culmination of it all was receiving the Ben Feldman “Life Excellence Award” which is considered the Heisman Trophy of the life insurance industry.” Before joining New York Life, Steve was a successful sports agent having worked with the likes of Gary Payton, Rodney Stuckey, Kevin Durant, Jamal Crawford, Dwight Howard, DeMar DeRozan, and Isaiah Thomas to name a few. His main reason for wanting to be in the Sports Management industry was he saw a need that was not being met by most agents, and that was a lack of education & empowerment of African American athletes. In representing athletes, it was important for Steve to make an IMPACT off the court. If you were to speak with any of the athletes that he’s worked with, they would tell you that Steve always promoted LEGACY and using your platform to create an eco-system of business minded individuals!!! “Legacy is powerful, and more often than not, it is easily overlooked and as a sports agent, I have an obligation to look out for not only their best-interest, but also their families.” In life, sometimes there is a higher calling, and I was always taught that when called upon, you must be obedient. As a sports agent, it was hard to be in a world where you often need to keep your inner circle small, not knowing who was looking out for you, so I made the decision to walk away. The beauty of this story is that Steve Banks is back where he belongs and will make an IMPACT in the lives of the athletes that have a desire to be great. “Being able to incorporate my values, standards, morals into my work are what truly drives me to lead.” In his free time, Steve serves on the Board of Trustee’s for The Bush School. He volunteers with members of his fraternity – Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated. Steve also serves on the board of Baseball Beyond Borders, a non-profit organization that uses baseball as a platform to engage inner-city youth, while developing a passion for education and developing life skills. As a Black man, it is critical that he dedicates time to mentoring and supporting the upcoming generation of young people. Steve received his Bachelor of Science from Eastern Oregon University, where he was a student athlete. He is also a graduate of Georgetown University where he received his Masters of Sports Industry Management. Steve, his wife Maryjane and their two sons live in the Central District area of Seattle. We talked about the following and other items The Bush School Becoming a sports agent Legacy The power of visualization Making an impact Banks Sports Ventures Steve’s Social Media Steve’s Linkedin: Steve’s Instagram: Steve’s Twitter: Steve’s Advice I've recently been talking to some people about investments. This is the one thing I will share with entrepreneurs. Don't be so fixated on the product, as you're thinking about if you want to be an entrepreneur, if you want to step out of your comfort zone. The one thing that I've learned is that people often times get fixated on the product. What I've learned traditionally is that people invest in people, right? The product okay, that I get it. But I want to know about you. /episode/index/show/cavnesshr/id/28420376

Amy Balliett - Keynote Speaker | Author | Visual Strategist | Sr. Fellow of Visual Strategy | Board Advisor | Founder Amy Balliett - Keynote Speaker | Author | Visual Strategist | Sr. Fellow of Visual Strategy | Board Advisor | Founder Go to for the full episode and other episodes of The Jason Cavness Experience on your favorite platforms. Sponsor CavnessHR delivers HR companies with 49 or fewer people with our HR platform and by providing you access to your own HRBP. CavnessHR Crowdfunding Campaign We are doing an equity crowdfunding campaign for CavnessHR. You can become an owner in CavnessHR by taking part in our campaign. Amy’s Bio Amy Balliett made a name for herself as the CEO and Founder of the creative content agency, Killer Visual Strategies (formerly Killer Infographics). A seasoned entrepreneur, she owned her first company—a candy store and ice cream parlor—at the age of 17 before heading off for college. She subsequently built a successful career in film and marketing before launching Killer in 2010. Within a few years, Killer Visual Strategies grew to become the industry leader in visual communication, driving visual strategy and creative content campaigns for global brands including Microsoft, Boeing, Adobe, Nikon, Starbucks, the National Endowment for the Arts, the United Nations, and more. By 2018, Balliett and her executive team sold Killer to an agency collaborative and subsequently joined fellow agency leaders in building Material. Named the Number One Global Strategic Consulting Firm by GRIT in 2021, Material combines the talent of 12 leading agencies, consisting of 1200+ global employees across the practices of research, strategy, design, and brand building. Today, Balliett is the Senior Fellow of Visual Strategy for Material, serves as the Chief Visual Strategist on several boards, and is an award winning author. Considered an expert in her field, Balliett speaks at dozens of conferences each year including SXSW, Adobe MAX, Content Marketing World, and more. She is also a regular teacher at The School of Visual Concepts, a guest lecturer at several colleges and universities, and a LinkedIn Learning instructor. We talked about the following and other items Starting a business at 17 Wanting to be a Director in the Film Industry Content Marketing Public Speaking Guy Kawasaki Writing her book Amy’s Social Media Amy’s Linkedin: Amy’s Advice I have two pieces of advice. First, the word entrepreneur is used so loosely, that very few people actually understand what it takes to be a founder. I would almost rather use the word founder over entrepreneur. The thing is you're not an entrepreneur, when you just have ideas, but you have no way to execute those ideas. I can't stand those types of entrepreneurs, where they think that their idea is so brilliant that people will come work for free and build their idea for them. But then they'll reap all the benefits. That's BS to me. If you have an idea, and you learn how to execute that idea yourself, that's a lot more entrepreneurial. So I guess my first piece of advice is know what an entrepreneur really is, an entrepreneur, in my opinion, is a founder, a person who is the last person to take money out of the company, only after everybody else gets paid, and you've secured everybody else's job and livelihood. An entrepreneur is somebody who risks everything for potential reward in the distant future, not the near future. An entrepreneur is somebody who empowers other people to grow and build their families. and move up in their careers. So if you want to be an entrepreneur, you need to understand that that's an 80 hour a week job. It's not a 40 hour a week job, it's definitely not less than 40 hours a week. You're not gonna get rich quick. If you want to be an entrepreneur, the best entrepreneurs, in my opinion, are the ones who know how to perform every single role in their business, and have spent at least a month at minimum performing that role before hiring for that role. My preference would be you're spending six months performing that role before you hire for that role. That's what you need to do if you want to bootstrap and create a successful company where your employees respect you and want to work for you. Amy’s Book Killer Visual Strategies: Engage Any Audience, Improve Comprehension, and Get Amazing Results Using Visual Communication with forward by Guy Kawasaki /episode/index/show/cavnesshr/id/28359512

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Sarah Bell co-founder, Startup Building Adviser and Head of Customer Success at LeapSheep. 10/29/2023

Sarah Bell co-founder, Startup Building Adviser and Head of Customer Success at LeapSheep. Sarah Bell co-founder, Startup Building Adviser and Head of Customer Success at LeapSheep. Go to for the full episode and other episodes of The Jason Cavness Experience on your favorite platforms. Sponsor CavnessHR delivers HR companies with 49 or fewer people with our HR platform and by providing you access to your own HRBP. www.CavnessHR.com CavnessHR Crowdfunding Campaign We are doing an equity crowdfunding campaign for CavnessHR. You can become an owner in CavnessHR by taking part in our campaign. Learn more here. Sarah’s Bio Sarah Bell is co-founder, Startup Building Adviser and Head of Customer Success at LeapSheep. LeapSheep is a SaaS + AI platform that guides startups from idea to exit to overcome high founder failure rates. LeapSheep is a subscription service that diagnoses startup founders’ growth challenges and prescribes personalized goals and proven approaches to help founders to accelerate their traction and reduce risk. Sarah is a passionate supporter of founders who are looking to solve some of the world’s biggest challenges. Her core area of expertise is supporting founders in what’s required in customer discovery; so that they don’t fall into the trap of ‘build it and they will come’. She’s supported hundreds of founders to develop a business model and use storytelling to become ‘backable’ – by customers, team members, partners, and investors. We talked about the following and other items Moving to the U.S. from Britain Startups LeapSheep Market Research User Research Sarah’s Social Media Sarah’s Linkedin: LeapSheep Website: Sarah’s Advice My best advice to a founder is spend as much time as you can with your potential customers. Do not skip this step. Because you will find yourself having to go back to it before or after you've built software. You may as well do it before you've built software. Just find out about your customer and who they are, what's important to them and what their biggest challenges are. That's the most important thing and also be creative. Look to the edges because most people trying to find a problem they look straight ahead and it is easy to solve when you get to the edges that you find a solution. It's really worth building. /episode/index/show/cavnesshr/id/28102241

Glenn Akramoff - Founder & CEO, Akramoff | Reimagining Workplaces | Creating healthy work environments across the USA 10/22/2023

Glenn Akramoff - Founder & CEO, Akramoff | Reimagining Workplaces | Creating healthy work environments across the USA Glenn Akramoff - Founder & CEO, Akramoff | Reimagining Workplaces | Creating healthy work environments across the USA Go to for the full episode and other episodes of The Jason Cavness Experience on your favorite platforms. Sponsor CavnessHR delivers HR companies with 49 or fewer people with our HR platform and by providing you access to your own HRBP. CavnessHR Crowdfunding Campaign We are doing an equity crowdfunding campaign for CavnessHR. You can become an owner in CavnessHR by taking part in our campaign. Learn more here. Glenn’s Bio Glenn’s life experiences and core values are the center of his purpose. Having worked from seasonal maintenance to City Manager and now consultant and business owner over a 30-year career. He’s observed a connection between fulfillment at work and happiness at home. He has an intense desire to improve the lives of everyone he works with. Glenn creates environments that are innovative, inclusive, growing, and rich in communication and respect. His Human Centered program empowers teams and leaders to overcome and succeed together. We talked about the following and other items Horses and horse racing Gratitude Humility The Akramoff Method Akramoff Forgiveness Employee Performance Glenn’’s Social Media Glennl’s Linkedin: Akramoff Website: Akramoff FB: Arkamoff Twitter: Glenn’s Book “The Human-Centered Team” Glenn’s Advice Everyone deserves a good workplace. If you're in a bad one, and about somewhere between 80 and 90% of you are in some form or fashion. You don't have to leave. They talk about it on LinkedIn. If you get a bad manager, you leave, a bad organization you leave. That doesn't mean you're gonna find a good one. So you got to make that decision whether you want to stay there. But understand that you can have a better organization. As leaders, I know you're busy. I know you're understaffed. I know you've got to take on things that you didn't think you would have to do Some of you don't have any training at this at all. You think you're not doing a good job. But find someone to help you get through this and help your organization become a good one. Because if the bottom line makes a big difference, but the human impact of working in a toxic workplace is killing our world. So that's really our message, we want you to have a great workplace. We can help you do that. /episode/index/show/cavnesshr/id/28063074

Michael (MG) Alcock - CMO Quoala 10/15/2023

Shannon (Shay) Huffman Polson - Founder, The Grit Institute, Leadership Speaker and Author 10/08/2023

Shannon (Shay) Huffman Polson - Founder, The Grit Institute, Leadership Speaker and Author Shannon (Shay) Huffman Polson - Founder, The Grit Institute, Leadership Speaker and Author Go to for the full episode and other episodes of The Jason Cavness Experience on your favorite platforms. Sponsor CavnessHR delivers HR companies with 49 or fewer people with our HR platform and by providing you access to your own HRBP. CavnessHR Crowdfunding Campaign We are doing an equity crowdfunding campaign for CavnessHR. You can become an owner in CavnessHR by taking part in our campaign. Learn more here. Shannon’s Bio Shannon Huffman Polson is the author of The Grit Factor: Courage, Resilience and Leadership in the Most Male Dominated Organization in the World, and the founder of The Grit Institute, a leadership institute committed to whole leader development and a focus on grit and resilience. As one of the first women to fly the Apache helicopter in the U.S. Army, leading line units on three continents, Polson combines her passion and firsthand experience in and study of leadership and grit to deliver world-class keynotes and training to companies and organizations on leadership and grit. After serving for a decade in the armed services, Polson earned her MBA at the Tuck School at Dartmouth. She went on to lead outstanding teams in the corporate world at Guidant Corporation (later Boston Scientific) and Microsoft Corporation. Shannon lives in Washington State. We talked about the following and other items Her appearance on NBC Today Can women have it all What makes someone a leader Becoming one of the first females to fly the Apache helicopter in the U.S. Army How do you influence other women to tell their story Embracing failure Embracing success The Grit Factor Living in France Advice to anyone who is the only blank in the room Shannon’s Social Media Shannon’s Linkedin: Shannon’s Website: Shannon’s YT: Shannon’s Instagram: Shannon’s Twitter: The Grit Institute: Shannon’s Book - The Grit Factor: Courage, Resilience, and Leadership in the Most Male-Dominated Organization in the World https://www.amazon.com/Grit-Factor-Resilience-Male-Dominated-Organization/dp/1633697266/ref=as_li_ss_tl?keywords=the+grit+factor&qid=1579913022&sr=8-2&linkCode=sl1&tag=shannonhpolso-20&linkId=de37c60b756365aead07d9006a9c0c08&language=en_US /episode/index/show/cavnesshr/id/28212194

The Jason Cavness Experience

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