Revenue Growth Drivers

I usually book 70-80 speaking events per year. This year? Maybe 40. Just talked with a friend who's a veteran Top 50 speaker. She said: "This is the slowest year I've seen in 15 years." And you know what? This might be the best thing that's happened to our industry. Here's why: Crisis creates clarity. Despite a rise in in-person conferences and hybrid events in 2025, event analysts report that demand for keynote speakers and average speaking fees have not yet returned to pre-pandemic highs, reflecting a speaking industry still undergoing a slower recovery (Corporate Event News). This makes you realize the old model alone was fragile all along. When corporate training budgets tighten and companies restructure, it forces innovation nobody would've attempted otherwise. The data is clear: Our industry is transforming. Training hours down. Marketing budgets compressed. Organizations making hard choices about every dollar. But here's what this disruption revealed: The need for transformation hasn't decreased. The delivery model was the problem. Organizations still desperately need change leadership. Teams still need resilience tools. Leaders still need guidance through uncertainty. They just need it differently. So instead of waiting for budgets to recover, I asked: How can we serve more people with less friction? I took my power back and leveled up! Old model: One keynote → 500 executives → Hope it sticks  Leveled Up model: Keynotes (same as above) AND Industry-leading certifications → 5,000 change leaders → Proven implementation We're not lowering our value. We're expanding our reach. Companies get: • 10x more leaders trained • Sustainable transformation (not just inspiration) • Budget-friendly investment • Measurable ROI We get: • 10x the impact • Recession-proof revenue • Deeper client relationships • Scalable growth The opportunity hiding in every crisis: While many speakers are raising fees in a struggling market, smart speakers are creating accessibility. While others wait for the "old normal," innovators are building the new one. This isn't about accepting less. It's about achieving more. Your disruption playbook: 1. Thank the crisis for the clarity 2. Find the unmet need it revealed 3. Create radical accessibility 4. Scale through volume AND value 5. Build partnerships, not just bookings The speakers who thrive won't be the ones with the biggest fees. They'll be the ones with the biggest impact. And honestly? That's who we should've been all along. This disruption didn't break our industry. It's forcing us to become what our clients actually needed. The question isn't: When will speaking recover? The question is: What will you create while others wait? How are you turning your industry's constraints into creativity? Ready to transform your organization even in uncertain times? Let's talk about what's possible within your budget. DM me.

Telcos are cutting muscle, not fat Over the last decade, the top 20 Telcos eliminated 476,000 jobs. A full 25% of their workforce vanished. Verizon dropped from 177,000 to under 100,000. AT&T halved its staff. BT, Orange, Telefónica, all trimmed deep. And yet EBITDA margins barely moved. Global averages hovered at 33% in 2015 and remain almost identical in 2024. Net profit margins are still weak. AT&T lands near 8%. Orange and Telefónica oscillate between 2% and 5%. Telcos Return on capital sits below 5%, well under the cost of equity. The real problem is structural. Telecom runs on an asset-heavy model with mandatory reinvestment. Annual depreciation demands fresh capex just to stay flat. 5G added spectral cost but fragmented architecture. Vendor ecosystems are optimized for recurring complexity, not simplification. Internal talent was replaced not with automation, but with outsourced friction. Cutting 25% of jobs did not reduce cost, it just relocated it. What used to be salaried became contractual. What was operationally controlled became externally managed. The work stayed. The margin did not. Now AI enters the Telco scene and the same mistake looms. Boards expect 10 to 30% efficiency gains, but unless telcos confront the root issues: architectural sprawl, vendor lock-in, fragmented stacks, no uplift will materialize. Job cuts will return, this time repackaged as recurring software fees and AI platform licenses. Efficiency is not a strategy. It is a temporary illusion unless it transforms the model. The future is not about removing people, but removing duplication, opacity, and vendor drag. That is where margins hide. And where telecom must finally look. https://lnkd.in/gw7ruCW8

Most ecommerce brands report from the outside in. They obsess over the edge - ROAS, CTR, and CPC - and simply hope those clicks eventually turn into a profitable business. High-performing DTC brands work differently. They build from the inside out, starting with the Unit Economics; LTV, CAC and CM. The 3-Layer Ecommerce Reporting System: Layer 1: Unit Economics. If this is broken, scaling ads just kills the business faster. Metrics: LTV, CAC, LTV:CAC, Payback Period (90/180 days), Contribution Margin (after COGS & Shipping), Cohort Retention. Layer 2: Operational Metrics. This is how you manage the machine. Metrics: New vs. Returning Customers, Marginal CAC, Paid vs. Organic mix, Inventory. Layer 3 are Campaign Metrics. They can be misleading, if read the wrong way. But still important to track. Metrics: ROAS, CTR, Add-to-Cart Rate, Hook Rate. This is the difference between a top-tier ecommerce brand, and everyone else. Comment ECOM + connect with me and I’ll send you my ecommerce tech stack guide.

Many of my connections come from oil & gas, energy, and industrial sectors—industries that understand the complexities of supply chains and market dynamics. However, I believe the critical minerals industry has done itself a disservice by not clearly explaining why scaling U.S. supply chains isn’t as simple as ‘fixing permitting’ (though that remains essential). A recent Wall Street Journal article (https://lnkd.in/gwrJkp93) does an excellent job of outlining how China dominates the rare earth supply chain. But I wanted to take a deeper look—why is this problem so hard to fix, and what can actually be done about it? 📌 The Reality: Mining alone won’t solve the problem. The U.S. is creating orphan projects—mines that either can’t secure financing or get built only to remain dependent on Chinese processing and opaque pricing. 📌 The Economics: China’s monopoly isn’t just about supply—it’s about market control. With subsidized operations, opaque pricing, and the ability to undercut competitors, China has locked in its dominance. 📌 The Missing Piece: Even if the U.S. builds processing facilities, who buys the materials? Without binding offtake agreements, these plants risk being economically unviable. 📌 The Solution: We don’t just need mining. We need demand-side policy, price floors, strategic partnerships, and domestic downstream industries to create a market outside of China’s grip. I break all of this down in my latest article, linked below. This isn’t just about rare earths—it’s about all critical minerals. The same dynamics apply to lithium, nickel, graphite, and beyond. If we’re serious about securing these supply chains, we need to think beyond extraction. Would love to hear thoughts from those in oil & gas, mining, manufacturing, and policy—how do we break this cycle? #RareEarths #CriticalMinerals #EnergySecurity #Mining #SupplyChain #Manufacturing #Policy #IndustrialStrategy

⚠️ 293 NEW MINES NEEDED BY 2030 🛢️THIS IS NOT AN OIL GLUT STORY The energy transition does not face excess supply. It faces structural mineral scarcity. 🔋 What Battery Demand Requires By 2030: • 61 new #copper mines • 52 #lithium mines • 31 natural graphite mines • 29 rare earth mines • 28 nickel mines 🟠 Copper Gap • Current supply 22.9m tonnes • Additional required 3.7m tonnes That is a 16% increase on today’s base! Permitting timelines 10–15 years. Ore grades... Declining. Capex Rising📈 Copper does not scale like shale oil. 🟢 Lithium Gap • +1.2m tonnes required Lithium projects face: • Water constraints • ESG scrutiny • Processing bottlenecks • Chinese refining dominance The constraint is build speed 🛢️ Oil markets debate surplus. Metals do not work that way. You cannot bring 61 copper mines online in 2 years. There is no mineral equivalent of a Permian surge. If projects do not accelerate: • Mineral inflation returns • EV margins compress • Grid expansion slows • Energy transition timelines slip This is a structural investment gap. Fossil fuels face demand uncertainty. Critical minerals face supply constraints. Different cycles and Different risks. The transition narrative focuses on demand. The real bottleneck is geology and permitting. If you want to understand which companies are positioned to win this supply race and where capital is flowing next, I break down the top opportunities in my newsletter. Don’t miss it and Subscribe here: https://lnkd.in/dTghi3Qe #energy

Replenishment isn’t a side feature, it’s a force multiplier. This is a big mistake. We’ve seen replenishment flows outperform promos and win-back emails combined. They convert better every time with the right timing and zero customer effort. Brands overspend on ads to win new customers, then forget to win them again. They need to predict exactly when a customer needs to repurchase and trigger the message at the perfect moment. Not too soon, not too late. Just right. ++ 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 – 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗙𝗶𝘅 𝗜𝘁 ++  𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 ✅ Fix: Replenit’s AI triggers proactive reminders across channels exactly when customers are likely to run out, via the brand's own marketing automation vendors, without any migration. 𝗣𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 ✅ Fix: Multichannel orchestration (SMS, push, email) with personalized timing based on consumption behavior. 𝗡𝗼 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 ✅ Fix: Smart upsell bundles, urgency messages (“running low?”), and loyalty integration improve reorder ROI.   • Food & Beverage, pet food and treats, wellness & beauty products hold the highest repeat purchase potential, being very high due to frequent, perishable-driven consumption patterns. • Online groceries and FMCG rank high in habitual/impulsive behavior, presenting a strong fit for mobile push and SMS-driven replenishment campaigns. Brands like Glosel turned a leaky bucket into a revenue engine with Replenit’s AI-powered multichannel replenishment flows. 🚀 53.75% more automation revenue 🛒 +28% higher AOV 📲 100% of the Multichannel approach, email, SMS & Push channel revenue -12X Higher Engagement Rate Why does it work? Because Replenit activates timely, no-effort reorders across email, SMS, push, and more. Most brands forget to remind customers. ++ 𝟯 𝗧𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀 ++ 1️⃣ Make Replenishment an Always-On Growth Engine Don’t treat it as a postscript. Integrate replenishment flows as a core revenue pillar in your retention strategy. 2️⃣ Automate Across Channels With Smart Triggers Use AI-powered solutions to trigger SMS, email, and push notifications based on usage cycles, not guesswork. 3️⃣ Track and Optimize With First-Party Data Loops Leverage Replenit’s dashboards to identify top retention products, run experiments on timing, and iterate continuously. 𝗧𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 ecommert® 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝟭𝟰,𝟮𝟬𝟬+ 𝗖𝗣𝗚, 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘁® : 𝗖𝗣𝗚 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿. About ecommert We partner with CPG businesses and leading technology companies of all sizes to accelerate growth through AI-driven digital commerce solutions. #CPG #ecommerce #Replenishment #AI #FMCG

When You’re the GM, F&B Isn’t “Someone Else’s Problem” — It’s Yours I still remember the early days stepping into a new property as General Manager. Occupancy numbers looked good. Smiles at the reception desk. Everything seemed "fine" — until I walked into the restaurants. Half-empty dining rooms. Unmotivated service staff. Bland guest feedback hidden deep in the surveys. And that’s when it hit me: F&B is where a hotel’s true heartbeat is found — or lost. If the restaurants are empty, if the bars lack energy, if service feels mechanical — you don't have a hotel. You have a building with beds. From that day forward, I made a decision: ✅ I dived into every menu review. ✅ I challenged chefs to create experiences, not just meals. ✅ I trained staff not just to serve, but to sell joy. ✅ I aligned F&B strategy with brand identity and P&L objectives — every quarter, every property, every time. And the result? Not just better revenue. Not just awards or guest satisfaction scores. A living, breathing property guests wanted to return to — and investors were proud to own. F&B is not the “secondary engine” of a hotel. It’s the part guests remember, talk about, and share with the world. If you're a GM and you’re not walking your kitchens, tasting dishes, feeling the floor energy every single week — you're missing where leadership is needed the most. You can’t build a great hotel if you don’t respect the art and science of F&B. And that’s a lesson I carry into every project I lead. #HospitalityLeadership #FandBStrategy #HotelExcellence #GuestExperience #OperationalExcellence

I came across this menu today at a hotel (apologies for the quality of the picture!), and I thought it was a good case of F&B Revenue Management and Menu Engineering. This isn't just a list of dishes; it’s psychological pricing: 1. Price Anchoring: The Beluga Caviar at 300 serves as a powerful anchor. It makes the Holstein Beef Burger at 29 feel incredibly reasonable and drives sales toward those profitable middle-tier items. 2. Visual Guidance: Notice the icons (like the 'V') and illustrations. These are deliberate ‘eye magnets’ used to guide customers toward high-margin selections, often increasing profitability without them even realizing it. 3. Value-Driven Language: Specific descriptions ("with its classic garnish") boost the perceived quality and justify the price point. It often surprises me how many hoteliers and Revenue Managers completely neglect this critical revenue stream. True Total Revenue Management includes F&B, and if RMs aren't actively collaborating on and quantifying the effects of Menu Engineering, they are leaving significant profit on the table.

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆? The global medical cannabis industry is growing, but the real financial success lies in a few key areas that go beyond cultivation alone. While many companies focus on volume or branding, the long-term profits come from precision, compliance, and innovation. Here are the areas where the real money is being made: 1. Pharmaceutical Development The most significant profits come from developing cannabis-derived medicines, particularly those aimed at treating serious conditions like epilepsy, chronic pain, and anxiety. Companies investing in clinical trials and regulatory approval can command premium pricing for certified medical products. 2. Genetic Cultivation and IP Owning the intellectual property of proprietary strains or developing new cannabinoid profiles that target specific medical conditions is highly valuable. Licensing these genetics or selling them at a premium provides a long-term revenue stream, similar to how pharmaceutical patents work. 3. EU GMP Manufacturing Facilities meeting EU Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards are able to supply high-grade medical cannabis globally. This opens doors to major markets like the EU, where quality, safety, and consistency are paramount. Countries with GMP-certified facilities have a competitive advantage. 4. Research and Development Investing in research, whether it's isolating lesser-known cannabinoids or developing new delivery methods, is crucial for future profitability. As more medical uses for cannabis are discovered, the companies leading R&D will see significant financial returns. 5. Regulatory Navigation Companies that can successfully navigate complex international regulations to access major markets such as the U.S., Europe, and Australia are well-positioned. Meeting compliance standards like GACP and GMP ensures high-margin exports and access to a global patient base. 6. Healthcare Partnerships Building relationships with healthcare providers and insurance companies is another key area. Prescription cannabis is gaining acceptance in mainstream medicine, and companies that can integrate into healthcare systems are set to capture this lucrative market. 7. Technology and Data Utilising technology to optimise cultivation and gather patient data on cannabis efficacy is a growing area. Companies that leverage this data to show proven results will stand out to investors, regulators, and healthcare providers. In short, the real money in medical cannabis comes from innovation, compliance, and high-quality, scientifically backed products that can treat a range of conditions globally. #MedicalCannabis #PharmaceuticalCannabis #CannabisIndustry #CannabisResearch #CannabisInvestments #CannabisCompliance #GMP

Your restaurant is overstaffed. Just like it should be. And it's the smartest financial decision you'll ever make. I know. Sounds insane. Every consultant preaches lean staffing. Every owner obsesses over labor percentage. Every manager cuts to the bone. Meanwhile, the best operators I know run 2-3% higher labor. And absolutely dominate their markets. ⸻ Here's The Math That'll Make You Rethink Everything Restaurant doing $2.5M annually. Running 28% labor vs 25%. That's $75,000 "extra" in payroll. Expensive? Let's see what it buys: • Zero doubles = fresh staff, better service • Proper training time = fewer mistakes • Coverage for call-outs = no panic mode • Happy team = lower turnover Now the real numbers: Turnover drops from 75% to 40%. 35 fewer hires × $3,000 = $105,000 saved. You just made $30,000 by "overspending." ⸻ What Actually Happens When You Staff Properly I watched this transformation at a 200-seat steakhouse: Before: Skeleton crew • Servers with 8-table sections • Bartenders making salads • Managers expediting • 25% labor cost • Chaos every night After: Full staffing • Servers with 5-table sections • Dedicated support staff • Managers actually managing • 28% labor cost • Smooth service The results? Average check: Up 22% Table turns: Up 15% Guest complaints: Down 70% Revenue: Up $400K annually That 3% labor investment returned 16% more sales. ⸻ The Hidden Cost of Lean Staffing Here's what lean staffing actually costs: Your best server quits: $8,000 to replace Two bad Yelp reviews: $15,000 in lost sales Manager burnout: Priceless Guest never returns: $1,200 annually Add it up. That's $25,000+ per incident. How many incidents per month? Meanwhile, properly staffed restaurants: Staff stays years, not months. Guests become regulars. Managers have time to improve operations. Everyone makes more money. ⸻ The Strategy Nobody Talks About Stop managing to minimum coverage. Start staffing for maximum performance. Tuesday lunch needs 3 servers? Schedule 4. Saturday night needs 8? Schedule 10. "But Jim, that's expensive!" No. Turnover is expensive. Bad service is expensive. Stressed teams are expensive. Proper staffing is an investment. ⸻ Here's Your New Playbook Calculate your true turnover cost. Add your lost sales from poor service. Factor in manager burnout. Now compare that to 2-3% higher labor. Which costs more? The restaurants crushing it post-COVID? They figured this out. They're not managing labor percentage. They're managing guest experience. And banking the difference. 👊🏻 P.S. Still cutting staff to hit your labor target? Your competition is fully staffed and taking your customers. P.P.S. Want to see the staffing matrix that helped that steakhouse add $400K? Comment "STAFFING" below. Sometimes more is actually more. #RestaurantManagement #LaborCost #RestaurantSuccess