Frank Mengert continues to find success by spotting opportunities where others see nothing. As the founder and CEO of ebm, a leading provider of employee benefits solutions. Frank has built the business by bridging the gap between insurance and technology driven solutions for brokers, consultants, carriers, and employers nationwide.

Technology As Your Workforce Grows

The digital age has changed the way we do business in many respects. From online transactions to branding via social media, the Internet has had a tremendous impact on all of our lives. Internally, many businesses have changed the way they operate in the Internet age, pivoting into new verticals. Below, we’ll outline six key strategies you need to follow in order to effectively scale up your benefits technology to meet the demands of a growing online workforce.

1. Create a Strong, Centralized BenAdmin System

When it comes to benefits, employees need a strong, workable system that clearly communicates data and options to feel secure. People value knowledge, especially when it comes to things like health and disability insurance, and a strong benefits system is the best way to keep your employees in the know.

When everyone is able to access systems quickly, get relevant information and answers fast, and manage their benefits themselves, satisfaction increases immensely. A unified digital platform for benefits management is a critical feature for any online business, allowing employees to view plan summaries and calculate costs. Not having one is essentially a non-starter if you want to scale benefits programs effectively.

2. Maintain Compliance with Regulatory Frameworks

Handling regulatory compliance is extremely important at all levels of business operations, including employee benefits. Ensuring rigid compliance to regulatory frameworks will help you avoid legal errors, audits, and even penalties that can cause operational disruption or even legal consequences.

Investing in an effective benefits technology partner is a smart step you can take to ensure that you are meeting all required standards for benefits administration. A strong benefits service can help you keep track of the regulations you need to follow by giving each employee a personal dashboard that links to company-wide services which regulate benefits packages.

3. Personalize Benefits and Keep Employees Educated

Employees enjoy working for companies that allow them to personalize their experience and are committed to their individual wellness. Instead of making your benefits plan a one-size-fits-all solution, keeping things malleable to the individual employee is the best way to improve satisfaction.

Furthermore, it is vital that you continually educate your employees on their benefits options, keeping them in the loop so that they can make informed decisions more easily. Giving employees accessible resources with information about their benefits can help you avoid frustrating miscommunications and errors that lead to issues with benefits disbursement or confusion over what plans you actually offer.

4. Embrace Technology and Integration

Technology is rapidly evolving in the business world, and small and medium-sized businesses have to stay on top of technological trends to promote business growth. In regards to employee benefits, investing in technology that can easily be scaled and integrated into existing business systems is crucial.

Make sure that your benefits platform, payroll system, and other employee databases are all seamlessly synced to prevent miscommunication and errors that can negatively affect benefits distribution. A fully-integrated system makes everything from onboarding to payroll much simpler, and can prevent costly and time-consuming manual remediation efforts. 

5. Keep Your Benefits Plans Customizable

A customizable benefits plan is something many employees value in the business sector, and there are many different plans you can integrate into your benefits packages to keep your employees happy. Whether you choose to offer Section 125 plans, 401(k) plans, or other types of benefits, having a diverse palette of benefits packages available is ideal if you operate a business with a remote or hybrid workforce.

Instead of funneling employees into a single plan type, offering strong but customized benefits packages can be done via benefits administration technology, making the complex task of managing various plan types easier.

6. Make Security Your Top Priority

Digital security is not just valuable to a business’ customers–it is also incredibly valuable to employees, especially when it comes to benefits. In businesses with a great deal of remote or online presence, security is extremely vital, particularly in terms of benefits data, which often has to pass between company systems, making it vulnerable to security breaches.

A single security breach can have a wide ripple effect across business systems, but with an effective benefits technology partner, your systems will be secured from the start, protecting vital data. Invest in strong data encryption, identity and access management (IAM), and compliance technology that can keep you in line with privacy codes like GDPR and other important regulations.

Scale Your Benefits Tech Effectively So Your Employees Feel Valued and Respected

A strong benefits system can make or break your business’ ability to retain and satisfy employees. Flexibility, personalization, and security draw in great talent, and with a good benefits tech partner, you can keep that talent for many years.

Using technology to automate and secure the complexities of employee benefits is the way of the future, and investing in it is your best bet to stay with the times and maximize your growth potential in your industry. The steps above are just a few ways to get started, and the process of scaling up your benefits technology may require a lot of effort, but in the end, you’ll reap greater rewards from it. Your employees will be happier, your business will run more smoothly, and your reputation will benefit from those who spread the word that you are a prime example of a company with both exceptional benefits and strong technological support!

The post Happy Workers, Happy Company: Scaling Benefits Technology As Your Workforce Grows appeared first on CEO Medium.

Energy becomes inconsistent. Decisions feel heavier. And the question is no longer “How do I grow?” but something far more personal:

“Why doesn’t this feel the way I thought it would?”

For Mari Oderzhakhivska, this question did not appear as a theory.

It appeared as a breaking point and became the foundation for one of the most innovative approaches to leadership and burnout recovery available today.

The Invisible Cost of High Performance and Leadership Burnout

Mari Oderzhakhivska is a visionary mentor for high-achieving entrepreneurs with more than 17 years of experience in global luxury brand marketing. Her career spans Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, and LVMH. Before creating her method, Mari experienced something many entrepreneurs normalize but rarely question: a constant state of activation that is the hidden driver of leadership burnout.

“I realized that as entrepreneurs, we live almost permanently in a sympathetic nervous system state,” she explains. This state drives execution, but it comes at a significant cost to work life balance.

“Feelings and emotions become numb. You start disconnecting from the people you love. Everything in life becomes a business plan with KPIs where there is no aliveness or vitality at all.”

That recognition became her turning point. “I decided: enough of this. I will find a way, not just for myself, but for all my fellow entrepreneurs.”

The Science Behind Entrepreneurial Burnout

What Mari experienced has a scientific explanation, one that helps clarify why burnout affects high-performance leaders so disproportionately.

When the sympathetic nervous system dominates as it does during sustained periods of high achievement, several things happen simultaneously:

• Access to deeper emotions decreases
• The body remains in a state of chronic tension
• Perception narrows to immediate threats and tasks
• The parasympathetic system, responsible for recovery, connection, and genuine feeling becomes progressively less accessible

The cumulative result is not just physical exhaustion. It is a kind of emotional disconnection that affects relationships, decision quality, and the experience of life itself.

“You can be successful,” Mari says, “and at the same time feel nothing.”

This is not a personal failure. It is a physiological consequence of sustained high-performance without the tools to regulate the nervous system in real time.

Why Traditional Burnout Recovery Was Not the Answer

Like many leaders navigating the early signs of burnout, Mari explored traditional solutions like therapy, long-form spiritual practices, retreats.

“They work,” she says. “But they require you to slow down, step out, disconnect.”

For her, that was not a viable path.

“I didn’t want to leave my life to feel it,” she explains. “I needed to stay in the speed but experience it differently.”

This distinction is critical. The conventional approach to burnout recovery asks leaders to choose between performance and presence. Mari refused that choice and built a system that makes both possible simultaneously.

Re:engineering State: Solving Burnout Without Slowing Down

Instead of choosing between performance and presence, Mari developed Re:engineering State, a method designed to quickly shift internal states and regulate the psycho-emotional system in real time, without stepping out of the professional demands of high-level leadership.

“At some point, I understood: it’s not about slowing down,” she says. “It’s about being able to switch states without losing momentum.”

The method draws on 15 years of study with leading teachers, scientists, and practitioners in neuroscience, nervous system regulation, awakening brain research, mental health, and human performance. It is not theory. It is the distillation of lived experience combined with rigorous scientific grounding.

The Science of State: What Re:engineering State Is Built On

At the core of Mari’s approach is a deceptively simple but profound insight:

Your nervous system defines your access.

When locked in sympathetic activation, a leader can act but cannot fully feel. They can perform but cannot deeply connect. They can achieve but cannot truly experience the results of that achievement.

When parasympathetic regulation is restored, even briefly, something different becomes available:

• Perception expands
• Emotional range returns
• Clarity becomes natural rather than forced
• Relationships deepen
• Energy becomes regenerative rather than depleting

State is not just how you feel in a given moment. It determines what you have access to, cognitively, emotionally, and relationally.

Re:engineering State as a Leadership Tool

The method Mari developed is specifically designed for high-performing individuals who cannot and do not want to step out of the game.

It integrates nervous system regulation, emotional awareness, cognitive reframing, and real-time state switching into a practical framework that can be applied during the normal demands of an active leadership life.

The goal is not relaxation. It is precision.

The ability to shift within minutes from pressure to clarity, from reaction to creation, from control to connection.

For entrepreneurs managing the relentless demands of building a business while maintaining personal relationships and avoiding the deeper forms of burnout that end careers and damage health, this kind of precision is not a luxury. It is a competitive and personal necessity.

A New Kind of Leadership Capacity

At the highest levels of achievement, the challenge is no longer effort. Effort is available in abundance. The real constraint is capacity.

The capacity to hold complexity without collapsing under it. To make decisions without internal noise distorting judgment. To stay connected to the people who matter while moving at the pace the business demands. To experience life fully, emotionally, presently while building at scale.

This is what Re:engineering State is designed to unlock. Not as a wellness practice separate from leadership, but as a core leadership capability that determines the quality of everything else.

The leadership qualities that define great leaders in 2026, emotional intelligence, resilience, authentic communication, the ability to build genuine trust, all depend on the nervous system access that Re:engineering State is designed to restore and maintain.

Final Thoughts

Mari Oderzhakhivska did not create her method from theory. She created it from necessity from the recognition that success without access to life itself is incomplete.

Today, she works with entrepreneurs from around the world, helping them develop the internal infrastructure that high performance actually requires: not just strategy and execution, but the capacity to be present, connected, and alive in the personal brand they are building.

The future of leadership, Mari believes, is not about doing more.

It is about being able to move fast and feel everything that matters along the way. To maintain intimate connection with the people who matter. To share moments, celebrate milestones, and build a life that is not just successful but genuinely worth living.

You do not need to choose between speed and presence.

You need a system that allows both.

Connect With Mari Oderzhakhivska:

• Instagram: instagram.com/oderzhakhivska
• Mentorship: morethanm.com/mentorship

CEO Medium features the stories of entrepreneurs, executives, and visionaries who are redefining what leadership looks like. Get Featured Today or email info@ceomedium.com.

The post High Performance Without Burnout: How Mari Oderzhakhivska Is Redefining Leadership Through Re:engineering State appeared first on CEO Medium.

Getting your press release in front of the right journalists, editors, and media outlets is the part most business owners underestimate. You can write the most compelling press release in the world and still get zero coverage if it never reaches the right people.

That is where press release distribution services come in.

In my experience working with small business owners and entrepreneurs on media placements, the distribution method you choose makes as much difference as the press release itself. Send it the wrong way and it disappears into a void. Send it the right way and you wake up to coverage in publications you never even pitched.

I have seen businesses spend $1,500 on PR Newswire distribution and get zero pickup  and others get featured in 12 publications from a single well-placed direct pitch that cost nothing.

This guide breaks down the best press release distribution services available in 2026, what they cost, who they are best for, and what the alternatives are if you want better results for less money.

What Is a Press Release Distribution Service?

A press release distribution service takes your press release and sends it to a network of journalists, newsrooms, editors, and media databases on your behalf.

The basic promise is simple: instead of manually building a media list and pitching hundreds of journalists one by one, you pay a service to do the distribution for you at scale.

Some services distribute to thousands of outlets simultaneously. Others focus on specific industries or regions. Some offer SEO benefits by publishing your release on high-authority news sites. The quality, reach, and cost vary dramatically between providers.

The Best Press Release Distribution Services in 2026

1. PR Newswire – Best for Maximum Reach

PR Newswire is the largest and most established press release distribution service in the world. A single release distributed through PR Newswire can reach thousands of newsrooms, journalists, and media databases simultaneously.

Best for: Large announcements, funding rounds, public company news, product launches targeting national media.

Cost: Starts around $350 per release for regional distribution. National distribution runs $800 to $1,500+ depending on word count and add-ons.

Pros:

• Widest distribution network in the industry
• Strong SEO benefits from syndication on high-authority news sites
• Trusted by journalists as a credible source

Cons:

• Expensive for small business owners
• No guarantee of actual journalist pickup or coverage
• Releases often get lost in the volume of content distributed daily

2. Business Wire  – Best for Financial and Corporate News

Business Wire is owned by Berkshire Hathaway and is the preferred distribution service for corporate announcements, earnings releases, and financial news. It has deep relationships with financial media and wire services.

Best for: Financial announcements, investor relations, corporate news, regulated industries.

Cost: Similar to PR Newswire – starts around $400 for regional, $900+ for national.

Pros:

• Strong reach into financial and business media
• Trusted by Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and Reuters
• Good compliance tools for regulated industries

Cons:

• Overkill for most small businesses
• High cost with no guaranteed coverage
• Interface is dated and not beginner-friendly

3. EIN Presswire – Best Budget Option for Basic Distribution

EIN Presswire offers one of the most affordable entry points into press release distribution. For small businesses that want basic distribution without spending hundreds of dollars per release, it is a reasonable starting point.

Best for: Small businesses, startups, local businesses doing their first press releases.

Cost: Starts at $99 per release. Annual plans available for frequent users.

Pros:

• Affordable compared to PR Newswire and Business Wire
• Distributes to Google News and industry-specific outlets
• Simple to use

Cons:

• Smaller distribution network than premium services
• Less credibility with top-tier journalists
• Limited SEO impact compared to higher-tier services

4. Globe Newswire – Best for Mid-Market Businesses

Globe Newswire sits between EIN Presswire and PR Newswire in terms of reach and cost. It is a solid option for mid-sized businesses that need broader distribution than budget services offer but cannot justify the cost of PR Newswire.

Best for: Mid-market companies, technology businesses, businesses targeting trade media.

Cost: Starts around $200 per release for basic distribution.

Pros:

• Good balance of cost and reach
• Strong in technology and financial sectors
• Distributes to AP, Reuters, and major financial databases

Cons:

• Less name recognition than PR Newswire or Business Wire
• Pickup rates vary significantly by industry

5. Prowly – Best for Building Your Own Media List

Prowly takes a different approach from traditional distribution services. Rather than blasting your release to a generic network, Prowly gives you tools to build your own targeted media list, manage journalist relationships, and distribute directly to contacts who actually cover your industry.

Best for: Businesses doing ongoing PR who want to build real journalist relationships over time.

Cost: Starts at $258 per month — a subscription model rather than per-release pricing.

Pros:

• Targeted outreach rather than mass distribution
• Built-in media database with journalist contact info
• PR analytics and tracking

Cons:

• Monthly subscription is expensive for occasional use
• Requires more effort than set-and-forget distribution services
• Better suited for businesses with dedicated PR resources

The Hard Truth About Press Release Distribution Services

Here is what most distribution services will not tell you upfront:

Distribution does not equal coverage.

You can spend $1,500 sending a press release through PR Newswire and get zero journalists writing about your business. Distribution services guarantee that your release gets sent — they do not guarantee that anyone reads it, cares about it, or publishes a story about it.

The reality is that journalists receive hundreds of press releases every day through these services. Most get skimmed and deleted within seconds. Unless your story is genuinely newsworthy and perfectly timed, mass distribution alone is unlikely to generate meaningful coverage.

This does not mean distribution services are useless. They serve a real purpose — particularly for SEO, since your release gets published on hundreds of news sites and creates backlinks to your website. But if your goal is actual media coverage and real stories written about your business, distribution alone is rarely enough.

What Actually Gets Results: A Smarter Approach

The businesses that consistently earn media coverage in 2026 use a combination of approaches rather than relying on any single service:

Targeted direct outreach to journalists who specifically cover their industry, combined with a well-crafted pitch tailored to each contact.

HARO responses to get quoted in articles journalists are already writing, which requires no pitch and no distribution fee.

Direct publication partnerships with business media outlets that feature entrepreneurs and business owners as part of their editorial model.

That last option is worth understanding in more detail. Rather than paying $500 to $1,500 to distribute a press release that may never get picked up, some business owners choose to work directly with publications like CEO Medium to get a dedicated feature story written and published about their business.

The difference is significant. A press release distributed through a wire service is one of thousands sent that day. A dedicated feature story published on CEO Medium is a permanent, SEO-indexed article specifically about your business – written to rank on Google and reach your target audience directly.

Press Release Distribution vs. Direct Feature Placement: A Comparison

Which Press Release Distribution Service Should You Choose?

Here is a simple decision framework based on your situation:

If you are a small business doing your first press release and want basic distribution without spending a lot: Start with EIN Presswire at $99. It gives you Google News distribution and a reasonable starting point without a major financial commitment.

If you are announcing something significant, a funding round, major partnership, or product launch targeting national media: PR Newswire or Business Wire give you the widest reach and the most credibility with top-tier journalists.

If you want ongoing PR capability and are committed to building real journalist relationships over time: Prowly gives you the tools to do that properly.

If you want guaranteed coverage with a permanent article indexed on Google that specifically tells your business story: Working directly with a business publication like CEO Medium is the most efficient path.

Final Thoughts

Press release distribution services are a legitimate tool in your media strategy but they work best as part of a broader approach rather than a standalone solution.

Use distribution to get your news out broadly and build SEO backlinks. Use targeted outreach and HARO to build real journalist relationships. And use direct publication partnerships to guarantee that your story gets told the way it deserves to be told.

The goal is not just to send a press release. The goal is to get your business in front of the right people, build credibility that compounds over time, and make it impossible for your target customers to miss you.

If you are ready to go beyond distribution and get a dedicated feature story published about your business, CEO Medium works with entrepreneurs and small business owners across the US to make that happen.

The post Press Release Distribution Services: The Best Options Compared in 2026 appeared first on CEO Medium.

The changing rhythm of animation

The familiar tempo of “render-then-wait” that used to define the animation industry is steadily being replaced, as studios small and large – Pixar and Disney, DreamWorks, Sony Pictures Animation – are actively experimenting with AI to accelerate production. Look development, previs, and early story exploration are all being enhanced, removing the need for that specialised assembly-line that we all still recognise as the backbone of animation. That process can now be achieved quickly and competently by anyone with the right tools and prompts. The outcome is a landscape where “pretty good” animation, infinite iterations, and rapid experimentation become cheap, fast, ubiquitous, and increasingly difficult to differentiate without something audiences truly value.

The growing importance of IP

IP has always carried significant value, but as AI moves to reshape the production process, providing audiences with near-unlimited choice, it’s the content that captures audience attention that matters most. And that’s becoming increasingly scarce. Which is where the escalating value of IP will be seen. 

The studios that own or strategically acquire the established franchises – Marvel, Star Wars, DC, the Wizarding World – are the ones that will ultimately win the game. Because it’s not laziness or creative torpor behind the endless repetition of and addition to the likes of Despicable Me, How to Train Your Dragon, or Shrek, but a rational response to audience behaviour and the preference for familiarity. These are worlds with built-in demand, and studios will naturally fully maximise the long-term potential of that valuable IP.

But why is it happening? Because familiarity reduces risk for the studio and decision fatigue for audiences. In 2024, established IP dominated viewer demand, with adaptations consistently outperforming originals in a market where attention is finite. As viewing becomes increasingly mediated by algorithms, it’s recognition that seems to capture attention.

Why IP must lead strategy decisions

Taking all of that into account, the only sensible path forward for studios is to be IP-driven. Over the next few years, acquiring, licensing, or partnering around strong IP with an existing audience will be essential. AI isn’t just going to add to content incrementally, but flood the entire market, and audiences simply don’t have the time or the will to dredge through the torrent to find something new. To protect their time, enjoyment, and value, they will default to either what they already recognise, or what trusted curators and platforms recommend. IP ensures that it’s your content that they decide to invest in, as it signals a familiar tone, quality, and identity that they don’t have to think about. 

What’s the future for studios?

These changes can only mean a shift in core competencies for studios. Execution speed and production efficiency won’t be differentiators. Instead, the focus will need to become world stewardship; whether a franchise is worth adding to, remaking, or relaunching. And how to build on the comfort of audience familiarity. AI can help explore alternate storylines, stress-test character arcs, localise humour, and rapidly spin out adjacent formats. But it can’t build that emotional attachment that is needed to pull audiences in. That takes time, consistency, coherence, and repetition. And that’s where IP’s true value lies. 

AI’s role in all of this is experimentation, iteration, and optimisation, but without IP, its value is minimal. No one will really care who can generate the most content; the goal will be protecting and expanding the story worlds that audiences want. 

AI has entirely flattened the cost of animation creation, wiping away the need for many of the traditional skills. But it’s also shifting the focus and adding worth to IP, highlighting what’s important to audiences in a world where content is everywhere. 

Douglas McGinness is founder and director of the AI creative studio Animated Company. His work has received a D&AD Wooden Pencil award and has screened at the Festival de Cannes. Clients include Apple, Nike, Google, Epic Games, BBC, Paramount, and more.

The post Why IP Will Be the Real Differentiator in an AI-Saturated Market appeared first on CEO Medium.

Key Insights for Earning Confidence

• Reliability and reassurance convert better than high-pressure selling.
• Trust signals lower perceived risk.
• Clear, confident communication helps buyers feel in control.
• Every stage of interaction (digital or in-person) should validate professionalism.
• The goal: replace fear of loss with confidence in decision-making.

The Psychology of Hesitation

High-value clients hesitate because they have more to lose—money, reputation, or internal approval. These are not impulse buyers; they are risk managers. Their “yes” depends less on excitement and more on the removal of doubt. When a prospect senses pressure, they interpret it as risk. When they sense reliability, they interpret it as safety. The difference lies not in the pitch, but in the environment the business creates.

Creating an Environment of Assurance

Small signals of professionalism compound into trust. Before you try to convince, ask: does every interaction reinforce credibility?

Here are practical approaches:

• Be transparent about process and pricing. Ambiguity invites anxiety. Outline exactly what clients can expect from start to finish.
• Provide contextual proof. Case studies, verified testimonials, and third-party reviews reduce uncertainty. Show real outcomes rather than bold claims.
• Demonstrate competence early. Offer useful insights before purchase: diagnostics or consultative content. This creates familiarity before commitment.
• Train your team for consistency. A confident, calm tone from sales, support, and delivery staff sends the signal: “We’ve done this many times before.”

Quick Comparison: Pressure vs. Trust-Based Selling

How to Lower Perceived Risk in Practice

Hesitant clients respond best to clarity, proof, and security.

• Show your track record. Certifications, awards, or long-term client relationships establish legitimacy.
• Highlight safety nets. Guarantees, flexible terms, or pilot projects reduce commitment anxiety.
• Reduce complexity. Simplify options and avoid jargon; cognitive overload feeds indecision.
• Ensure visible accountability. Publish leadership bios, contact information, and support policies. People trust what feels human and reachable.

Security as a Trust Signal

One overlooked factor in risk perception is how securely a business handles information. If your clients are cautious or high-value, protecting their data becomes a reassurance.

When sharing proposals, contracts, or sensitive project files, security should be visible. Businesses that use trusted methods to encrypt a PDF file and protect documents with passwords convey professionalism and care. Clients notice. Secure document sharing signals that your company highly values confidentiality.

Confidence-Building Checklist

Here’s how to systematically cultivate buyer confidence:

1. Lead with clarity. Make the first interaction feel structured and informative.
2. Anchor your credibility. Use credentials, testimonials, and transparent data.
3. Align expectations. Confirm deliverables, timelines, and outcomes before a contract is signed.
4. Display empathy. Listen to client hesitations and restate their concerns accurately before responding.
5. Follow through flawlessly. Post-purchase reliability reinforces pre-purchase trust.

FAQs: Converting the “Not Yet” Buyer

Common client hesitations often have predictable roots. Here’s how to respond.

1. “We’re still comparing options.”
   Acknowledge that smart clients compare. Offer clear differentiation—quality of service, process transparency, or post-sale support—without discrediting competitors. This shifts the frame from competition to confidence.
2. “Your price seems high.”
   Explain the value equation in terms of risk reduction or total cost of ownership. Premium providers convert by framing cost as protection, not expense.
3. “Can we see a sample or trial?”
   Always have a low-friction proof point ready—a demo, diagnostic, or preview. It reduces psychological distance between intent and action.
4. “We’re worried about data or privacy.”
   Be explicit about your data-handling practices. Using secure systems to share or store information demonstrates that your company protects clients before they even sign.
5. “We’ve been burned before.”
   Respond with empathy first, not defense. Share specific examples of accountability, such as satisfaction guarantees, detailed onboarding, or transparent progress reporting.
6. “We need internal approval.”
   Provide concise, presentation-ready summaries of your value and proof. Make your champion’s job easier, and your approval rate will rise.

Building a Reputation That Sells Itself

Trust compounds. Every secure document sent, every clear proposal shared, and every honest conversation adds to a record that buyers remember. When a business becomes synonymous with reliability, it no longer needs to chase hesitant clients—they come forward willingly. Long-term success doesn’t come from closing harder; it comes from being easier to trust. Reliability outperforms rhetoric every time.

Conclusion

Converting cautious customers isn’t about persuasion; it’s about participation in their risk management process. Show that you understand their caution, respect their decision pace, and protect their interests at every step.

In the end, trust isn’t built by pressure; it’s built by proof.

The post Building Trust: How to Convert Cautious Customers Without Pressure appeared first on CEO Medium.

Birdsall’s professional focus includes leadership, client relations, and helping companies stay focused during periods of change. He regularly contributes to commentary on business leadership, communication, and trust in professional relationships. 

– – – –

Q: Why is client relationship management an important part of your work? 

Lucas Birdsall: Everything comes back to trust. Most issues I’ve seen in business aren’t caused by bad intentions. Misalignment happens, sometimes expectations aren’t clear, and sometimes people aren’t feeling heard. When you understand a client well, the work becomes a whole lot easier. Decisions are easier. Conversations are more honest. That foundation matters more than any short-term result. Getting your client relationship management strategy right means weaving it into everything your company does, right from the first chat through to ongoing work. 

Q: What do clients typically care about most in long-term business relationships?

Lucas Birdsall: They want someone who is genuine and follows up regularly. People don’t expect perfection, but they do expect honesty. If something changes, they want a heads up. If something is uncertain, they would rather hear that than silence. Eventually, clients notice patterns. They notice who communicates well and who stays consistent. The secret is really to treat every client like they’re your priority. Honestly, it just makes good business sense.

Q: How do you handle difficult client conversations?

Lucas Birdsall: I deal with them directly. Waiting rarely helps. I focus on explaining what’s happening in plain terms and giving space for the other person to answer. Sometimes, stopping and letting them talk is all you need to do. A lot of difficult talks become manageable once everything has been said. People usually appreciate being spoken to directly, even when the topic isn’t comfortable. 

Q: How do you maintain strong relationships as companies and priorities change? 

Lucas Birdsall: I stay in touch, and I don’t assume alignment lasts forever. When businesses grow, things change. Goals change. Pressures increase. Regular conversations help keep everyone grounded. They also prevent minor mishaps from becoming bigger issues later. Consistency is key, and it pays off in the end.

Q: How can business leaders improve how they work with clients?

Lucas Birdsall: Listen more than you talk. Ask questions that show you care about the other person’s thoughts and opinions. Be clear about what you can and can’t do. A lot of strong client relationships are built quietly over time. They don’t come from big moments. The best thing you can do for a client is be dependable and present. 

The post Client Relationship Management in Business Leadership: Thoughts from Vancouver Executive Lucas Birdsall appeared first on CEO Medium.

Whether you’re modernizing operations, refreshing your offerings, or leveraging digital tools, the principle is simple: growth follows creativity put to work.

Key Takeaways at a Glance

• Focus innovation on solving a real customer friction point.

• Build a culture where experimentation is encouraged, not punished.

• Leverage technology for smarter, faster, and more efficient workflows.

• Align innovation with business strategy—every new idea should ladder up to a measurable goal.

• Partner with others to co-create solutions faster.

Why Innovation Matters More Than Ever

Markets shift overnight. Customer expectations evolve in real time. For small and mid-sized business owners, staying competitive isn’t about being the biggest—it’s about being the fastest to adapt. Innovation bridges the gap between where your business is and where your customers are headed.

But innovation isn’t limited to big R&D budgets or breakthrough inventions. It can mean streamlining your sales process, improving delivery times, or reimagining customer service through technology.

Building a Culture That Welcomes New Ideas

Sustainable innovation starts with people, not products. To encourage it:

• Reward curiosity: Recognize your employees who identify inefficiencies or propose new ways of doing things.

• Create safe spaces to fail: Every successful experiment begins with a few that don’t.

• Shorten feedback loops: When ideas get tested quickly, learning accelerates.

This approach transforms your business from a static operation into a living system—always learning, always improving.

Investing in Technology That Multiplies Efficiency

One of the most practical ways to foster innovation is through technology adoption. Even small businesses can unlock transformative gains by automating routine tasks or using data more intelligently.

For example, industrial IoT for smart manufacturing is revolutionizing how smaller manufacturers compete. By connecting equipment, sensors, and systems, companies can gain real-time visibility into operations, reduce downtime, and enhance quality control.

Adopting industrial IoT for smart manufacturing allows businesses to streamline workflows, predict maintenance needs, and reduce waste—all of which translate to cost savings and increased agility. Equipping your business with industrial-grade edge computing hardware that leverages AI, IoT, machine vision, and data analytics ensures optimal real-time monitoring, automation, and operational efficiency.

Practical List: Innovation Moves That Pay Off Fast

Here are a few high-impact, low-barrier innovations every SMB can implement:

• Automate repetitive administrative tasks using affordable SaaS tools.

• Introduce digital payment or ordering options to improve customer convenience.

• Use customer feedback platforms to identify and act on recurring issues.

• Invest in employee training for digital skills and creative problem-solving.

• Collaborate with local universities or innovation hubs for research and insights.

Each of these actions drives incremental innovation—small shifts that, compounded over time, create major growth advantages.

How-to Checklist: Turning Innovation Into Habit

Innovation isn’t a one-time project—it’s a repeatable process. Use this simple checklist to institutionalize it:

• Identify one key friction point affecting customers or employees.

• Brainstorm 3–5 possible solutions with your team.

• Test one solution in a limited scope within 30 days.

• Measure impact against clear metrics (time saved, sales growth, satisfaction).

• Scale what works; document what doesn’t for learning.

• Revisit quarterly to ensure continuous improvement.

By operationalizing creativity, you move innovation from inspiration to execution.

Where to Focus Innovation Efforts

Below is a quick reference for identifying where innovation can deliver the highest ROI depending on your business stage.

This helps you prioritize innovation where it will yield measurable outcomes without overextending resources.

Frequently Asked Questions

Before wrapping up, here are answers to common questions business owners ask about innovation:

Q: How do I encourage innovation without losing focus on day-to-day operations?
A: Set aside time and budget for experimentation. Small, structured pilot projects can deliver insights without disrupting the core business.

Q: What if my business is in a traditional industry—can I still innovate?
A: Absolutely. Process efficiency, customer communication, and data-driven decisions offer immense room for innovation in traditional sectors.

Q: How do I measure the ROI of innovation?
A: Use metrics tied to your goals—like reduced operational costs, improved customer satisfaction, or faster delivery times. Innovation should always ladder up to measurable performance.

Conclusion

For small and mid-sized business owners, innovation is less about invention and more about adaptation. By embedding creativity into operations, leveraging smart technology, and fostering a culture of experimentation, growth becomes a consistent output, not a one-time event. The most successful businesses don’t wait for change—they create it. Start with one small innovation today, and let momentum build the rest.

The post Driving Business Growth Through Innovation: A Practical Guide for SMB Owners appeared first on CEO Medium.

Artificial intelligence has crossed a threshold. Despite mounting economic concerns, AI implementation now tops the list of business risks, according to a survey of decision makers at US mid-market corporations. With three in four business leaders saying they would walk away from employers that fail to keep pace with AI, pressure is mounting on firms to get it right. 

This reflects a new reality for companies where AI is transitioning from a side project to a cornerstone of strategy that will define a company’s competitiveness over the next decade. 

But the pressure to implement AI is not without risk, especially as data security issues could result from rushed, poorly implemented AI initiatives. The real winners will be those that can balance the risks with the opportunities in order to stay ahead, retain talent, attract capital and drive growth. 

The talent wars

The talent war of the next decade will be won or lost on technology strategy. 

Nearly half (45%) of executives surveyed say they would leave their company if it lags significantly behind in AI adoption, and another 30% admit that falling behind would affect their long-term loyalty. 

Employees want to work for companies that are investing in the future, not clinging to the past, so companies that are left behind in the AI race by failing to implement it properly across their business could face meaningful consequences.

Where talent flows, capital follows, so looking ahead, we are going to see a growing divide between AI leaders and laggards, with talent and investment gravitating to firms that advance fastest. 

Risk vs reward

The pressure to implement AI is accompanied by concerns around data security, which is likely why it is now the number one business concern. 

The research reveals that 50% of decision makers now rank AI implementation as their top business risk, surpassing traditional concerns such as economic slowdown (48%) and supply chain disruption (43%). 

AI anxiety stems largely from the complex challenge of adopting emerging technologies while safeguarding sensitive data. Among leaders already utilizing third-party AI systems, nearly half (49%) surveyed identify data security as their most urgent risk, and 55% cite data protection as their biggest compliance concern. 

This becomes even more complicated for multinational companies, or those wishing to enter a new territory. AI regulations remain fragmented, so a global approach is necessary to ensure compliance in all territories. 

While AI has the power to drive business efficiencies and decision making, companies need to take data privacy seriously and ensure that this technology is used responsibly. 

Leveraging AI, strategically 

Driven by their fear of being left behind, companies are focused on implementing AI right across the business. No longer reserved for basic automation and efficiency, AI is now being used at the highest levels of strategic decision making and companies are will to invest heavily in technology initiatives in order to stay ahead. 

In fact, corporate America is defying expectation by continuing to make investments despite economic conditions. 66% of respondents reported that market volatility is accelerating investment decisions, with more than one-third describing the pace as “significant”. Technology and digital transformation are the number one investment priority for 84% of respondents, showing that businesses are pushing ahead with AI adoption, even as they recognize its risks.

The result of this is a much broader adoption of AI across strategic business areas. The top AI use cases include cybersecurity threat detection (73%), supply chain risk management (69%), and automated regulatory compliance (67%). The latter is especially important given that regulatory shifts are now the number one policy concern in the US, according to executives.  

This shifts the dial. While some companies continue to talk about the potential of AI in their business, others are quietly leveraging it to support on some of their most important decisions that affect the future of the company. This is bullish, given the infancy of certain AI tools, but it shows a willingness to adapt and preparedness for the coming AI age, that will appeal to both employees and investors. 

Driving growth 

Ultimately, despite concerns over the risks associated with AI, companies are powering ahead with AI implementation and investment, driven by the fear of being left behind and internal pressures to stay ahead. 

What we’re witnessing is a paradox of progress, where AI anxiety and ambition are rising together. While companies fear what AI can do if mismanaged, they fear being left behind even more.

With 85% of US business leaders surveyed identifying AI implementation as a primary driver of growth over the next three years, it is clear that AI is no longer a side show, but the main event that will redefine business competitiveness over the next decade and beyond. 

This means businesses must invest in robust governance frameworks, upskilling employees, and choosing partners who can help them navigate the regulatory and operational complexities that AI introduces. It also means recognizing that talent will vote with its feet.

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Giardino has over a decade of experience implementing impact and sustainability practices in leading technology businesses. Formerly of market researchers Ipsos and leading sustainability efforts in Latin American e-commerce and fintech giant Mercado Libre, she joined Glovo in April of 2021. In her previous role as sustainability supervisor for Mercado Libre, Zoe oversaw impact strategy for all of LATAM minus Brazil, culminating in leading the issuance of a $400M bond for investment into environmental opportunities in 2021. At Glovo, Giardino will lead the team responsible for turning current urban challenges, from food insecurity to SME digitalization or carbon emission reduction, into scalable, tech-enabled solutions.

Leading Glovo’s ambitious Impact Strategy

Glovo has crafted its strategy around three core pillars: Grow, Give, and Green, to ensure its communities grow at the same pace the company does.

• Give: Building on the success of Glovo Access, the company’s free tech and logistics to fight hunger in partnership with NGOs and local administrations, Giardino will continue to expand partnerships that tackle food insecurity and get essentials where they are needed. To date, Glovo Access has delivered 26 million meals to people in need and helped avoid 10.000 tonnes of food waste across 22 countries.
• Grow: Giardino has already been instrumental in developing Glovo Local, the SME-tailored empower­ment programme, which helps small businesses sell, manage, and grow online, as often Glovo is their first step into digital commerce. Through Glovo Local, more than 11,000 SMEs have received direct support and have achieved an average of +20% increase in their online sales. 

Another priority will also be to continue to support riders by empowering and rewarding them for making a difference. With Glovo+, a dedicated loyalty program, we make sure riders feel supported with fair, transparent earnings, safety gear, road safety training, financial help, and additional benefits they can unlock. At the same time, we empower them to advance in their careers and adapt to new opportunities with online courses and in-person training focused, amongst others, on financial literacy and migrant inclusion.

• Green: Glovo is aligned with the climate targets set by Delivery Hero (DH) that are validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) since 2024. DH’s goals, as aligned with a 1.5º trajectory, commit the company to reducing absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50.4% and reducing Scope 3 GHG emissions intensity by 58.1% per million euros of gross profit, using 2022 as the base year. In that direction, Giardino will accelerate the company’s transition toward cleaner logistics by increasing the share of non-combustion vehicles and Electric Vehicles (EVs), improving route optimisation, expanding the use of renewable energy and promoting the adoption of sustainable packaging. 

The company is driving decarbonization projects across its geography, making cleaner logistics a reality on the ground. For instance, in Uganda, over 25% of riders already use EVs thanks to a collaboration with Zembo , while in Italy 45% of Glovo orders are already delivered with EVs.  Additionally, 20% of the orders are already done with optimised routes, half of Glovo facilities worldwide are powered by clean energy today and more than 20.4 millions of units of recyclable packaging have been distributed among partners.

Giardino will also oversee the continued growth of the Impact Fund, Glovo’s unique mechanism where a small part of every customer order is reinvested to improve positive impact from Glovo’s core technology in the communities where it operates. Since 2021, Glovo has invested over €8 million euros in Impact & Sustainability projects.

Glovo co-founder Sacha Michaud says: “Glovo has a significant social and economic impact across the more than 1,800 cities where we operate. Driving positive impact for our communities, couriers and SME partners is part of our DNA and a core responsibility of a modern company. Since she joined, Zoe has demonstrated an ability to successfully develop and implement strategies and programs, embedding positive impact in Glovo’s core business. We’re pleased she’s at the helm of this key vertical and look forward to seeing the results of her and her team’s work.”

Zoe adds: “My focus has always been on working with businesses to help them deliver improvements and progress in order for impact and sustainability to be integrated in the core of their strategy. Glovo’s technology, partners, and urban presence put us in a unique position to help build more connected, fairer, and lower-emission cities. I feel a great sense of responsibility in spearheading our overall Impact efforts. We as a team are driven to make a great deal of difference in the years ahead, anchored in all the great work done so far.”

Giardino holds a degree in business economics and a master’s in urban economy from the Universidad Torcuato Di Tella, in Buenos Aires, giving her particular experience in the function of urban environments, which is directly applicable to Glovo’s presence in around 1,800 different cities worldwide

For more information about Glovo’s impact and sustainability efforts and commitments, please visit the latest Impact Report: https://glovo.live/3XwIcQe 

The post Spanish tech giant Glovo announces new Impact and Sustainability Director appeared first on CEO Medium.

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Q: What is the biggest misconception about graphene and nanomaterials today?

Kjirstin Breure: A lot of people think graphene only exists in research labs, but it’s actually already being used in real products. The truth is, we’ve moved far beyond the experimental stage. HydroGraph’s Hyperion process produces graphene that is extremely pure and consistent, and it’s made in a way that can scale for industry use. The real challenge today is helping companies understand how to integrate graphene into their products efficiently. Once more people see how graphene improves performance and reduces waste. I think they’ll view it as essential instead of experimental. 

Q: How do you approach innovation in a fast-moving field?

Kjirstin Breure: Innovation at Hydrograph starts with curiosity but depends on structure. We’re always looking for new applications for graphene, but we make sure every project is based on what the market actually needs. Our process is flexible enough to adapt as technology and demands change, which helps us stay ahead without losing focus. We also work with partners in different industries, so we can see where our materials can solve real problems. The best innovations come from listening, testing, and improving until the material performs exactly as required. 

Q: Partnerships seem to be important to HydroGraph. What makes a good collaboration for you? 

Kjirstin Breure: Good partnerships are built on shared goals and honesty. When we work with another company, we make sure both sides know what success looks like, what challenges might happen, and how we’ll measure progress. A great example is our collaboration with Hawkeye Bio and Ease Healthcare, which was announced back in August this year. With those partnerships, our graphene is being used in a new lung cancer test. Their expertise in medical diagnostics, combined with our materials technology, created something stronger than either could have done alone. Collaboration to us means learning together, communicating regularly, and creating solutions that have real impact. 

Q: How do you balance commercial growth with environmental responsibility?

Kjirstin Breure: Sustainability is part of our process at HydroGraph—it’s not an afterthought. The Hyperion method uses very little energy, produces no toxic waste, and avoids harmful chemicals. That makes it one of the cleanest production systems in the material industry. We also opt for projects where our products can help reduce environmental impact, such as improving energy efficiency or extending product lifespans. We believe that long-term success comes from creating a business that’s profitable, ethical, and benefits the planet all at once.

Q: What makes you optimistic about the future of HydroGraph and your industry?

Kjirstin Breure: I’m thrilled by the growth in the field and how it’s become so open to collaboration. Advanced materials like graphene are moving from the lab into everyday products, and that change is happening faster than most people realize. Over the next 10 years, we expect to see more graphene use in batteries, sensors, coatings, and even medical devices that improve the quality of life. HydroGraph’s goal is to make these technologies accessible by producing materials that are pure, consistent, and easy for manufacturers to adopt. I think we’re just at the beginning of what graphene can do, and the potential for real change is huge. 

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