From NYSE Reporter to IR Innovator: Annabel Zhang on Stories That Raise Capital

Getting Real with Dean Barta: Leaning Into Fear – From Devil's Tower to Business Ownership

Dean Barta, founder and CEO of Barta Business Group, shares his journey from the outdoors to business, drawing parallels between guiding in the wilderness and guiding businesses through financial challenges. He emphasizes the importance of easing clients' pain and the evolution of success from financial metrics to personal impact. The conversation covers topics such as flexibility in business, customer intelligence, emotional intelligence, business culture, fractional CFOs, and the impact of AI. Dean Barta shares insights on the importance of being flexible in business, the value of customer intelligence, the impact of emotional intelligence, and the role of a fractional CFO in business growth and exit strategies. Takeaways * Guiding in the wilderness parallels guiding businesses through financial challenges * Success has evolved from financial metrics to personal impact Flexibility in business * Customer intelligence * Emotional intelligence * Fractional CFOs * Impact of AI Chapters * 00:00 Success Redefined * 31:04 Customer Intelligence and Emotional Intelligence * 49:08 Impact of AI

From NYSE Reporter to IR Innovator: Annabel Zhang on Stories That Raise Capital

ONE-LINE SUMMARY (FOR SEO & SOCIAL) Annabel Zhang, CEO of International Elite Capital, shares how blending economics, authentic storytelling, and investor matchmaking turns visions into successful IPOs and lasting capital relationships. FULL EPISODE SUMMARY / SHOW NOTES Annabel Zhang, CEO of International Elite Capital (IEC), began her career as a financial reporter on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange—interviewing CEOs, decoding market moves, and uncovering the human stories behind the numbers. Today, she leads a firm that redefines investor relations by combining rigorous economics (she’s a CFA holder) with powerful, authentic storytelling. IEC helps high-growth companies—from startups to post-IPO—craft narratives that resonate with institutional investors, retail communities, and Wall Street analysts alike. In this insightful conversation, Annabel reveals: * Why every company has a unique story—even in "boring" industries * The rise of retail investors and why storytelling now matters more than ever * How IEC bridges vision and valuation (and why valuation is always the bottom line) * Preparing founders for IPO days—and the reality that going public is just the beginning * The unglamorous side: Acting as "therapist" for obsessed CEOs and fielding angry investors * Launching an AI-powered investor matchmaking platform * Life as a new mom while running a growing firm ("Don't chase balance—find one happy thing each day") * Advice to her younger self: "Never look back" A masterclass in turning data into compelling narratives that attract the right capital—and staying true to yourself along the way. Connect with Annabel: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annabelzhang [http://linkedin.com/in/annabelzhang] Website: internationalelitecapital.com [http://internationalelitecapital.com] CHAPTERS (WITH TIMESTAMPS) 00:00 – Welcome & Intro to Annabel Zhang (CEO, International Elite Capital) 00:40 – From NYSE floor reporter to spotting the storytelling gap in finance 03:06 – The real gap: Not funding—it's meaningful investor connections 05:11 – Capturing the human elements beyond financial disclosures 06:16 – Supporting clients from startup to post-IPO (and building an investor database) 07:58 – Economics background + storytelling: A rare superpower in IR 09:19 – Rise of retail investors & why authentic stories resonate 10:58 – Beyond numbers: ESG, brand vibe, and shop visits with investors 12:00 – What investors really want: Authenticity above all 14:19 – Why most companies aren't truly "IPO-ready" (it's just the start) 18:19 – The unseen work: Deep industry dives, concise messaging, therapist duties 20:45 – Knowing your client better than they know themselves 23:57 – Memorable IPO stories (Alibaba excitement & tough pricing days) 25:45 – Eternal truth: It's always about valuation 27:40 – Staying aligned through market cycles (focus on execution) 29:37 – Advice to 20-year-old Annabel: "Never look back" 31:45 – The leap into entrepreneurship & battling self-doubt 35:13 – Next 6-12 months: AI-powered investor matchmaking platform 36:58 – Success today: Hearing "You did a professional job" 39:12 – Balance as a new mom & CEO ("Don't chase it—find one happy thing daily") 44:37 – Favorite reads: Why Harry Potter inspires her most 45:57 – What "Getting Real" means to Annabel 47:27 – How to connect 47:56 – Outro

The Dash That Drives Him: Peter Prieto on Family, Faith & Fearless Hustle

ONE-LINE SUMMARY Peter Prieto shares his raw journey—from young fatherhood and bankruptcy to building NDataStor on relentless customer service, people-first hiring, and never quitting. FULL EPISODE SUMMARY / SHOW NOTES Peter Prieto, Founder & CEO of NDataStor, didn’t follow a typical tech-founder path. A young father by 23, he hustled through bread delivery, warehouse management, high-stakes sales, bankruptcy in 2007, and multiple pivots to build one of California’s most respected IT service companies. Today, NDataStor stands out in the MSP space for its white-glove, human-first customer service—no scripts, no dispatchers, no offshore support. Techs answer phones directly because relationships matter more than tickets. In this heartfelt conversation, Peter opens up about: * Raising three kids young and letting them fuel his drive * Betting on himself with 100% commission sales (and never looking back) * Surviving bankruptcy, health crises, and divorce—then starting NDataStor in 2008 * Why he hires for people skills over pure technical experience * The "dash" on the tombstone: Legacy through kindness, humility, and impact * Embracing AI for marketing/sales while preserving the human touch in support * Mentors, faith, and chasing the version of himself 10 years from now * Turning every setback into forward momentum ("Quitting is never an option") A powerful reminder that real success is measured in family, resilience, and how many lives you lift along the way. Connect with Peter & NDataStor: Website: ndatastor.com [http://ndatastor.com] LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/peterprieto [http://linkedin.com/in/peterprieto] CHAPTERS 00:00 – Welcome & Intro to Peter Prieto (NDataStor Founder/CEO) 00:33 – What makes Peter smile most today: White-glove culture & happy clients 02:30 – Hiring for people skills over ego (and the elevator test) 04:53 – Proudest accomplishment: His three kids & new granddaughter 05:34 – Early hustle: Young fatherhood, bread delivery, warehouse to sales 08:57 – Jumping to 100% commission sales (with a mortgage & 3 kids) 13:49 – Betting on himself & closing the big Chevron deal 18:54 – Core values instilled in his kids: Work ethic, good decisions, treat others well 22:43 – Defining success today vs. early days (the "dash" on the tombstone) 24:14 – Starting NDataStor in 2008 after bankruptcy 31:57 – Pivoting to MSP & the 300-ticket launch disaster 35:32 – Next 6-12 months: AI in sales/marketing, automation without losing the human touch 38:04 – Embracing speed & adapting in a changing world 42:55 – Legacy: Humble, kind, big-hearted helper 43:59 – Best mentor lessons (no comfortable salespeople, future self as mentor) 46:58 – Power vs. Force & acts of kindness 49:25 – Health scare & renewed gratitude 54:02 – What "Getting Real" means to Peter 56:08 – Outro

SecureAuth CPO Brook Lovatt: Passwordless Future, AI Agents & Surviving a Tsunami

EPISODE TITLE (CHOSEN – 88 CHARACTERS) SecureAuth CPO Brook Lovatt: Passwordless Future, AI Agents & Surviving a Tsunami ONE-LINE SUMMARY (FOR SEO & SOCIAL) From surviving the 2004 tsunami to leading identity security at SecureAuth, Brook Lovatt shares insights on phishing-resistant auth, AI risks, and hands-on leadership in cybersecurity. FULL EPISODE SUMMARY / SHOW NOTES Brook Lovatt, Chief Product Officer at SecureAuth, brings over two decades of experience in identity and access management (IAM). From co-founding startups to leading IBM's Cloud Identity division and serving as CEO of Cloudentity (acquired by SecureAuth), Brook bridges deep technical expertise with executive leadership. In this wide-ranging conversation, Brook discusses: * Balancing rock-solid security with seamless user experience (why passwords are dead and passkeys/FIDO2 are the future) * His tactile, hands-on journey from engineer to CPO * The wild cycle of startups, acquisitions, and big tech (including leaving IBM, traveling, and getting pulled back in) * A gripping firsthand account of surviving the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in Thailand * Leadership philosophy: "Leading from the front" – rolling up sleeves, transparency on runway, and earning team respect * Preventing burnout in high-pressure startups * AI's dual role: Enhancing risk-based auth today... and the terrifying frontier of rogue agents tomorrow * Why global digital passports and trust anchors are needed for agentic AI * Optimism amid risks: "If Skynet attacks in two days, I want to have a good time first" * Advice for CISOs evaluating auth solutions: Flexibility, modularity, and elastic scale A blend of technical depth, personal stories, and forward-thinking on the AI-identity collision. Connect with Brook: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brook-lovatt [http://linkedin.com/in/brook-lovatt] SecureAuth: secureauth.com [http://secureauth.com] expertinsights.com [http://expertinsights.com] theorg.com [http://theorg.com] youtube.com [http://youtube.com] CHAPTERS (WITH TIMESTAMPS) 00:00 – Welcome & Intro to Brook Lovatt (SecureAuth CPO) 00:47 – Security vs. UX: Why painful auth leads to risky workarounds 03:05 – Brook's hands-on journey from engineer to executive 06:04 – The IBM startup-acquisition cycle (and post-tsunami travels) 09:23 – Firsthand survival story: 2004 Thailand tsunami 12:23 – Core leadership principle: Leading from the front 14:50 – Earning respect from high-performing tech teams 17:58 – Avoiding burnout in the startup pressure cooker 20:52 – AI in security today: Risk engines & tomorrow's agent threats 24:49 – Excitement vs. caution: The wild west of agentic AI 28:37 – 2-3 years out: Global digital passports & centralized trust 32:47 – SecureAuth's focus: AI agents, frictionless CIAM 35:30 – How soon until AI agents are ubiquitous? 39:30 – Advice for CISOs evaluating auth solutions 42:36 – As a consumer: Frozen credit & assuming breaches 44:09 – Staying optimistic in cybersecurity 44:49 – Security philosophy: Zero trust, least privilege, proactive testing 48:45 – Book recs: Crossing the Chasm & AI Agents in Action 51:38 – What "Getting Real" means to Brook 52:45 – How to connect 53:02 – Outro

Spin-Free PR Veteran Jeff Pizzino: Building Authentic Brands in an Age of AI & Fake News

ONE-LINE SUMMARY From celebrity water endorsements to fighting hype in network marketing, Jeff Pizzino shares 40 years of lessons on why authentic storytelling wins hearts, employees, and headlines. FULL EPISODE SUMMARY / SHOW NOTES Jeff Pizzino, APR, has been a "spin-free PR purist" since 1987—starting at Ketchum in NYC, working with Johnson & Johnson, securing celebrity endorsements for ultra-pure Penta Water (Sting, Olympic swimmers, product placement on The Biggest Loser), and navigating tough corporate cultures. Now Chief Authentic Officer at AuthenticityPR (Johnson City, TN) and fractional Chief Communications Officer for lie-detection tech company Converus, Jeff helps brands tell true stories with clarity, impact, and authenticity—no hype allowed. In this engaging conversation, Jeff reveals: * How a career counseling test at BYU launched his lifelong PR journey * Wild wins: Shipping water to Sting's villas worldwide and free product placement on reality TV * Why he left big agencies and corporate jobs to go entrepreneurial (three times!) * The power of internal PR: Treating employees as your #1 customer (lessons from Southwest Airlines & IKEA) * Choosing truth over optics—even when it cost him jobs * Why authenticity became his mission in an era of AI deepfakes and misinformation * Aligning with clients who put people before profit * Upcoming books on wisdom and authentic business * Balancing ambition with "me time" (Italian studies, guitar, disc golf) A refreshing reminder that in a noisy world, genuine stories cut through—and ethical PR builds lasting success. Connect with Jeff: Website & Newsletter Signup: authenticitypr.com [http://authenticitypr.com] (free business storytelling report) LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jeffpizzino [http://linkedin.com/in/jeffpizzino] CHAPTERS 00:00 – Welcome & Intro to Jeff Pizzino (AuthenticityPR) 00:50 – How a BYU career test launched a 40-year PR career 02:03 – Leaving big agency life for entrepreneurship (and a detour to Death Valley-adjacent Ridgecrest) 03:56 – When "authenticity" stopped being a buzzword and became his mission 05:13 – Core elements of effective, spin-free storytelling 08:13 – Career highlight: Celebrity endorsements & product placement for Penta Water 11:28 – Tailoring stories for big brands vs. scrappy startups (hint: it starts with employees) 13:54 – Companies that treat employees like the #1 customer (Southwest, IKEA) 15:39 – Choosing truth over optics (tough lessons from network marketing) 18:33 – Only working with clients who align with ethics & people-first values 20:02 – Advice to young Jeff: Plan your career farther ahead 21:20 – Founding AuthenticityPR after toxic corporate experiences 25:35 – Overlap of authenticity & truth-tech at Converus ("Truth Validated" tagline) 26:55 – Biggest comms challenges today: Fake news, AI deepfakes, crisis readiness 28:24 – What separates genuine communicators from performers 29:25 – Evolution of "success": Help others first 30:07 – Underrated skill: Clarity (and answering "What's in it for me?") 31:15 – Balancing clarity with vulnerability 33:07 – Near-term goals: Finishing two books on wisdom & authentic business 34:18 – What still excites him after 40 years 35:08 – Decompressing as an entrepreneur 35:51 – Jeff's current personal story 37:42 – What "Getting Real" means in business & life 39:02 – Newsletter & resources plug 40:07 – Outro