Past Spotlights.

Before you approve the AI investment, can you defend the decision?

The vendor demo looks convincing. The team wants to move. The budget is heading for approval.

But three questions deserve an answer before you commit:

What business value will this investment create, and how will we measure it?

Will the expected gains justify the full cost of implementation and adoption, compared with other ways to achieve the same outcome?

What could prevent that value from materializing, and have we tested those assumptions before committing?

If those answers are unclear, you could be committing money and months of work to a solution your organization isn’t ready to turn into value.

That’s where Paulina Abramowicz comes in.

Paulina is the founder of Frame Decisions, with a consulting background spanning strategy, analytics and operations. She also serves on the Analytics Certification Board overseeing INFORMS’ Certified Analytics Professional program. She helps leaders examine the decision while there is still time to change it. Her platform connects business objectives with analytics and technology requirements, exposes assumptions and readiness gaps, and compares realistic alternatives before a preferred solution becomes an expensive commitment.

Bring her one high-stakes AI or analytics decision. Through a 90-day framing pilot with founder-led support, you work toward a leadership-ready Business Case Brief: the recommended path, why it makes sense, what could prevent it from delivering value, and what needs to happen next.

That could mean buying, building, testing a smaller pilot, fixing the foundations or deferring the investment. The purpose is to give leadership a clear basis for deciding where the money should go.

Have an investment approaching approval, vendor selection or scale-up?
Reply-all with the decision you’re facing and Paulina will contact you.

Explore Frame Decisions. The attached readiness scorecard offers ten questions to bring to your next investment discussion.

Paulina Abramowicz
Founder & Principal
Frame Decisions by Virtual Strategy Tech
Product website: www.framedecisions.com
Main website: www.virtualstrategytech.com
Blog: Competence Frame

Here's something I keep hearing from operators. Everyone is being told to "do something with AI," but a lot of the money going into it isn't paying off. Roughly half of AI implementations fall short, and the consultants who recommended them get paid either way.

That's exactly the problem Craig Tobin set out to fix. Craig runs Ascent Business Partners, and his team helps companies with large customer service and back office operations choose and roll out the right AI without the usual consulting bill.

What makes Ascent different is that they only get paid on outcomes. Your own team calculates the value, not them, and if the numbers don't clear a 2.5x return in year one, there's no commitment to move forward. That's real skin in the game and makes it easy to engage their team since they take out all the risk to adopt or enhance AI.

Craig has spent 35 years in contact centers. He co-founded Eventus Solutions Group, which served brands like Marriott, United Healthcare, American Express, Citi and AT&T before it was acquired by Tech Mahindra, and he built and sold two other companies along the way. Today Ascent's clients see a 92% success rate on their AI initiatives, against roughly 50% industry wide.

Craig has room to take on up to 2 new clients this quarter.

If you run or advise a company with a sizable contact center or back office, in healthcare, financial services, retail, hospitality or telecom, or you just know someone who does, Craig is worth a conversation. You can simply reply to this message or reach him directly at craig@ascentpartners.io

Here’s something that happens as companies grow: CEOs acquire more systems, more meetings, and more dashboards, yet somehow gain less visibility into what’s actually happening inside the business.

That’s the problem Aviad Shnaiderman is solving with XRAI. He built it after running into this exact issue himself while running and scaling a global company.

XRAI connects to the systems a company already uses: email, calendar, CRM, ERP, and other tools, and helps the CEO see what’s stuck, what’s at risk, and what needs attention before it becomes a crisis.

One example stuck with me. On a hotel HVAC project, XRAI surfaced an issue involving a pipe before it was pressurized. There were eight finished floors below the active work area, and had it gone unnoticed, the result could have been a very expensive problem.

But this isn’t an HVAC product. Across three very different companies, the specific issues varied, but the CEO problem stayed the same: important things were happening inside the business that leadership needed to have known about earlier.

Aviad is currently speaking with a small number of CEOs to see where XRAI can create the most value.

The best way I can describe Alan Salter is this: he is not the person you call for another set of recommendations. You call Alan when the work is important, the situation is complicated, and you need someone who can step in and get it moving.

Alan is the founder of Caravel International Partners. Through Caravel, he works alongside executives on transformation, strategy execution, supplier and procurement leadership, and complex operational challenges.

Scale has been a consistent part of Alan’s career. Over 30 years across more than six industries, he has managed over $2 billion in spend, held responsibility for $500 million in P&L, and delivered more than $500 million in career value. His work has included global operating models, manufacturing networks, major capital investments, M&A integrations, and complex programs involving multiple businesses, functions, and countries.

Alan can be involved from the beginning—helping define the objective, organize the work, and establish clear ownership—or brought into an initiative already underway. His role may be to lead a defined program, support an executive team through a difficult phase, or provide fractional leadership. In each case, the goal is to leave the organization with practical governance and a way of working it can sustain.

Alan currently has capacity for a new client engagement. Simply reply to this email if you or someone in your network has an important initiative and needs an experienced leader who brings stronger execution and a collaborative style.

Here’s a pattern I keep seeing: a company buys the AI tool, runs the pilot, and six months later nothing has actually changed. Everyone blames the technology. Usually the tool was never the problem. Rather, the work underneath was never organized well enough for any tool to help.

I want to introduce you to Jessica Caresse. She runs J.Caresse & Company out of Fort Lauderdale, and she fixes exactly that -- how work actually moves through a company before anyone installs anything on top of it. She’s a McKinsey alumna with time at Cisco and Hitachi, holds her PMP and CSM, and now advises mid-market and PE-backed companies, mostly in retail and consumer.

What I like about her approach is that she refuses to do it in the wrong order. Tool first is how you get an expensive pilot and no real change.

One example worth hearing: a retail company built through three mergers that never really integrated, then cut staff and lost the people who quietly owned the processes. One person was managing thousands of tasks. Teams worked weekends just to stay even.

Jessica rebuilt the operating model first, then phased AI in on top of something that could actually hold it. Approval cycles cut in half. Weekend work gone. Marketing operating costs down. And the AI capability they were about to go buy? They already owned the license -- a single IT setting nobody had explained was blocking it.

Jessica has room for a couple of new engagements this quarter.

If you’re an operator or owner with an AI initiative that isn’t landing, or you know someone who is, Jessica is worth a conversation. A 15-minute call is the easiest way to see if it’s a fit: just reply to this email and she’ll find a time. Additionally, you can reach her directly at jessica_white@jcaresse.com or www.jcaresse.com

Here’s a pattern I keep seeing with growing service businesses. You already have a bookkeeper or CPA. The books get done, the reports show up -- but you still can’t answer the questions that actually matter: Where is the cash going? What’s driving profitability? Can you afford to hire? How much can you safely distribute? What does the next six or twelve months look like financially?

That’s the gap Kayla Peña, founder of Accountful Advising, helps her clients close. With 11 years in accounting and finance, she built Accountful around a simple idea: growing businesses don’t just need someone to keep the books -- they need someone to own the finance function and help them actually use the numbers to run the business.

Accountful works as a fully outsourced finance department. Her team handles the accounting and day-to-day financial operations, while Kayla works directly with owners on the bigger picture -- forecasts, margins, cash flow, hiring and investment planning -- so they can see what’s coming instead of reacting to it.

The results speak for themselves: one client doubled their annual income within a year of working with her; another freed up more than 10 hours a month previously lost to financial admin.

It’s a simple month-to-month retainer, no long-term contract, and Kayla has a few spots open for new clients right now.

If you run a growing service business and don’t have real visibility into your finances, or confidence in the decisions you’re making from them, Kayla is worth a conversation. Reach her directly at kayla@accountful.io

You know that I've been obsessed with real, human conversations over broadcast-style content. This time I'm pairing that with something practical - a live session I'm co-hosting with Amit Zamosh, Founder & CEO of SmartClosers on September 17th at 11AM EST.

He's offering a live working session - not another webinar full of generic tips, but an actual working session on fixing your revenue engine. If your funnel is stuck anywhere today - lead gen, closing, retention — this is your shot to fix it.

Amit has closed deals from $1K to $100K+ for SaaS, AI, and tech companies across North America, and he'll bring that same diagnostic approach live - pinpointing exactly where your revenue channel is leaking, whether it's relying on a single lead source, prospects arriving cold instead of pre-sold, a closing framework that isn't converting, or follow-up that stalls after the sale.

Bring your real case. He'll apply a method that's already worked for hundreds of B2B companies, and you'll walk away with at least 4 practical actions to boost your win rate. You'll also get a personal follow-up Loom video with tactics tailored to your specific situation.

He's capping this at 4 companies - the goal is to go deep, not generic, so spots are limited.

Email: amit@smartclosers.co

I hope that you had a peaceful and relaxing Labor Day weekend!

I want to introduce you to someone in my network who I think a lot of you should know: Deon Brand.

Deon is the founder of Amasu Management Consulting, and he’s spent the last 20+ years doing something most companies struggle to do well — building go-to-market engines, strategic alliances, and partner ecosystems that actually move revenue. At ConnectWise, he built and ran their flagship channel programs, driving 42% average partner revenue growth and producing partners that were 7x more profitable than their peer group. He also stood up executive-level alliances with top-50 distributors like Ingram Micro, TechData/Synnex, and Arrow Enterprise Computing Solutions — generating over $8M in incremental channel revenue along the way. That’s not theory. That’s someone who has actually built and scaled the programs that make GTM and channel strategy work.

Now he’s running Amasu, a boutique consulting firm helping SMB and mid-market companies design and launch GTM strategies, transformation initiatives, and partner/channel programs — from the architecture and process design all the way through launch and ongoing oversight.

If you’re a business owner, operator, or consultant who needs contract or fractional support on GTM strategy, strategic alliances, or distributor partnerships — or if you just know someone who does — Deon is worth a conversation.

You can reach him directly at deon@amasuconsulting.com or check out amasuconsulting.com.

I want to put something on your radar. A lot of your customers have quietly changed how they search -- instead of Googling, they’re asking ChatGPT, Google’s AI Overviews, or Gemini for recommendations. If your business isn’t built to show up there, you’re invisible to a growing slice of buyers, and most companies have no idea this shift is already underway.

That’s exactly what Bryan Wisotsky works on. Bryan runs Sky SEO Digital, and after 17 years in digital marketing, he’s built his practice around getting businesses found in both traditional search and these new AI-driven platforms -- a discipline he calls AEO, or Answer Engine Optimization.

He’s certified in Google Analytics and Google Ads, and his strategies are built around the numbers that actually matter: organic traffic, keyword visibility, and real conversions, not just rankings.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your website even shows up when someone asks an AI assistant about your industry, it’s worth finding out. Bryan has a bit of room right now to take on a few new clients.

Would you be open to a quick call with Bryan to see where you stand?

skyseodigital.com
bryan@skyseodigital.com
305.491.8023

Three days ago I sent out an email to the whole network describing the "{Re}Humanizing The Network" philosophy. It was opened by 97% of you (which is both amazing and typical for this group). Quite a lot of you responded with a similar question… "How do you generate the meetings, how do you find the right people, is somebody helping you with this?"

The answer is a resounding yes! The group that helps me is known as MDC Growth. I've worked with other lead-generating services in the past and I've always been disappointed by their professionalism and their results. MDC Growth is the only one that I will endorse!

If you're looking to increase your top of funnel with high-quality leads, I suggest you reach out to MDC Growth ASAP. MDCGrowth01@gmail.com

I want to put something on your radar: Steve and Susan Eklin, who run VisionFront Coaching Co.

Here’s the thing I’ve noticed with a lot of smart, driven people - myself included at times - knowing what you want to achieve isn’t usually the hard part. The hard part is the mindset, the habits, or the self-doubt that quietly keeps you stuck. That’s exactly what Steve and Susan work on. They provide mental performance coaching that helps clients get clear on what they actually want, build real confidence, and take practical steps forward, both personally and professionally.

What I like about their approach is that it’s not just motivational talk. They dig into the specific beliefs and thought patterns that are holding someone back and help replace them with a mindset that actually supports action and results.

Steve has a handful of openings for new clients this month, so if this resonates, whether you’re feeling stuck, in transition, or just want to perform at a higher level, it might be worth a look.

If you’re open to it, a 15-minute call is the easiest way to see if VisionFront is a fit for where you are and where you’re trying to go.
You can reach Steve at: steve@visionfrontcoaching.com

You already know LinkedIn is one of the best places to build visibility and generate leads - but finding the time to run consistent outreach, and doing it without sacrificing your value or personalization, is a hassle.

Cole Morris makes this simple: his team runs done-for-you LinkedIn outreach that's built around real ICPs and genuine personalization - not generic automation. His campaigns average a 23% response rate across brands, more than double the industry average, with a completely clean track record (zero flagged or banned accounts).

Cole has a couple of openings this month to onboard new clients. Would you be open to a quick call to see if it's a fit for what you're working on?

You can reply to Cole here or simply grab some time: calendly.com/morrisstrategies

Whether you're buying a home, refinancing, or growing a business, finding the right funding partner—and the right loan structure—can be confusing and time-consuming.

Haritha Gopal makes this easier: as a mortgage loan officer licensed across 10 states (AL, CT, CO, FL, MN, MO, PA, TX, VA, and WA) and the founder of Thrive Finance, she helps business owners and real estate investors secure capital for acquisitions, expansion, equipment, and commercial real estate. She also handles investment property funding and HELOCs at competitive rates.

She brings an analytical background from Wells Fargo and Allspring Global Investments to every deal, matching clients to the best options for their specific goals—with 5-star reviews to back up her track record.

Haritha works on a success-fee basis, meaning she is only compensated when your deal gets funded. She has capacity for a few new clients this month. If you are interested in a no-cost consultation to review your mortgage or other financing options, you can reach out to her at haritha@trihvefinance.com.

I want to introduce you to someone I think you should know: Alicia Couri, Founder and CEO of Audacious Concepts Inc., a boutique leadership advisory firm that closes the gap between business goals and real results.

From hiring the right people to building teams that actually align to succession plans that hold up beyond an org chart, Alicia helps organizations cut friction across the entire talent lifecycle. Using validated behavioral data, she connects people performance to operational outcomes, turning strategy into momentum and decision fatigue into decision velocity.

She's a Keynote and TEDx speaker, certified across all three dimensions of the mind: cognitive, affective, and conative, and she helps leaders close the execution gaps most never knew they had.

If any of this resonates, I'd move quickly. Alicia's calendar fills up fast, and I'd hate for you to miss the window.

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thealiciacouri/

Upcoming events:

Masterclass - ‘The Execution Gap: Why Your Best People and Strategies Keep Falling Short’ - Can you measure perception in a role? You can absolutely measure how you see your job and how your supervisor sees your role in the job, and can measure the difference between them. That difference can mean whether someone is crushing it at work or just being crushed.
July 8, 2026 12:00pm EST | 9:00am PST

Executive Forum for Leaders in Tech -
We're at the halfway point of the year. By now the vision and strategy you started with is either winning or you're finding yourself pivoting.
Before you pivot, I want to invite you to a discussion to share ideas you may not have thought of yet. Join my upcoming Executive Forum titled:
Your Team Is in Quicksand and You're Reaching for the Wrong Rope
July 15th, 11:00 AM EST

You already know video gets more attention and better leads on LinkedIn - but finding the time, knowing what to say, and dealing with production is a hassle.

Neco Turkienicz makes this simple: He takes content you’ve already written (posts, blogs, emails) and turns it into short, polished videos you can post regularly - no cameras, no crew, no extra work on your side.

Neco has a couple of openings this month to onboard new clients. If he were to turn one of your recent posts into a sample video at no cost, would you be open to taking a quick look?

LEIB Productions – Remote Video Production for Businesses
https://leibproductions.com/video-vantage/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/necoturkienicz/
Schedule a call with Neco: https://go.oncehub.com/necoturk

To learn everything about using video to grow your business, subscribe to his YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@leibproductions

You're still leading. But who's leading you?

There's a version of leadership nobody talks about - the one where you're making big decisions, managing teams, and holding everything together professionally while quietly running on empty. Dr. Ravenlight built the SOVEREIGN ROI™ Leadership Coaching Program for that leader. Through a framework designed specifically for high-performers in high-pressure seasons, she helps you stay clear-headed, grounded, and effective — even when life behind the scenes feels anything but stable. This is a closed invitation to 12 leaders we believe are ready for this conversation. Don't wait for the breaking point. Take the first step now!

Instagram: @dr.suzzanna.ravenlight

If you're a B2B expert whose revenue depends entirely on you staying in motion, Anita Toth is someone you should know. Your reputation should be selling for you. She's a Reputation-Led Revenue Advisor who works with agency founders, consultants, fractional executives and B2B coaches who have built something real on relationships and reputation, but are still grinding for every deal. Anita doesn't just advise; she builds the system. Through her advisory program, The Silent Revolution, she turns client intelligence, positioning, and warm network activation into a compounding growth engine, so the right clients stay longer, send people like themselves, and the best work arrives without cold outreach, ads, or chasing every deal.

If you’re trying to scale revenue and your sales engine isn’t where it needs to be yet, Melody McDonald is someone you should know. She’s a fractional CRO with 25+ years of experience taking SaaS companies from zero to scale—and ultimately to exit. Melody doesn’t just advise; she builds and runs the engine—GTM strategy, messaging, team structure, and deal execution—particularly in complex B2B and public-sector markets like K-12, government (SLED), fintech, and healthcare. She’s known for stepping into founder-led environments, creating repeatable revenue, and quickly driving traction where it matters most. She’s open to both fractional and full-time opportunities where she can make an immediate impact on growth and revenue performance.