Always Be Connecting – with Sharon Schanzer

Always Be Connecting – with Sharon Schanzer

What if the real secret to business development isn’t selling at all, but building genuine, friction-free relationships over time? In this episode, I speak with entrepreneur, implementation expert, and self-described “superconnector” Sharon Schanzer about the hidden mechanics of networking, execution, and sustainable business growth. Drawing on decades of experience spanning design, technology, consulting, and community-building, Sharon shares why connection is a long game, why most people underestimate the work of business development, and how generalists are becoming increasingly valuable in a specialized world. We cover topics including: * Why “always be connecting” matters more than “always be closing” * How friction-free communication and follow-through create trust, referrals, and opportunity * Why execution—not just ideas—is the real differentiator for entrepreneurs and organizations If you’ve ever struggled with networking, pipeline-building, or turning ideas into action, this conversation offers a refreshingly practical perspective on what actually moves business forward. The Wise Up! Podcast is your regular dose of business wisdom, brought to you by the members of OpenWater.

Rethinking Cost as a Growth Strategy – with Jeff Peduto

What if the fastest path to growth isn’t chasing new revenue, but improving the profitability already inside your business? In this episode, I speak with operations executive and cost optimization advisor Jeff Peduto about why cost optimization should be treated as a strategic growth lever—not just a reactive cost-cutting exercise. Drawing on decades of experience leading operational transformation and business optimization, Jeff explains how organizations can uncover hidden inefficiencies, improve supplier spend, protect margins, and create lasting operational discipline. We cover topics including: * Why cost optimization is a growth strategy—and how smarter supplier management and operational efficiency can unlock meaningful working capital and EBITDA improvement * Why improvement programs often fail over time, and how accountability, operating discipline, and ownership make results stick * How a pay-for-performance consulting model aligns incentives around outcomes, not activity—reducing risk while increasing trust and execution If your business is working hard but margins still feel tighter than they should, this conversation offers a practical roadmap for creating stronger financial performance. The Wise Up! Podcast is your regular dose of business wisdom, brought to you by the members of OpenWater.

Tying Profit to People – with Jared Koesten

What if your organization’s margin challenges, client churn, or execution gaps aren’t operational problems at all, but leadership ones? In this episode, I speak with executive coach and fractional leader Jared Koesten about how aligning people, process, and strategy unlocks measurable business performance. Drawing on decades as a global CHRO and advisor to CEOs, Jared shares a practical framework for eliminating friction, achieving greater team engagement and strengthening leadership EQ. We cover topics including: * Why clarity, alignment, processes and systems (“CAPS”) are the foundation of sustainable growth * How operating rhythm can exposes (and help resolve) hidden financial and organizational friction * The difference between strategic ambiguity in branding—and the danger of ambiguity in leadership If you’ve ever been told to “just fix it,” this conversation offers a smarter, more durable way forward for leaders to inspire engagement and achieve sustainable improvements to their businesses. The Wise Up! Podcast is your regular dose of business wisdom, brought to you by the members of OpenWater.

Discovering Opportunity in Search Funds – with Jon Staenberg

Search funds may be one of the best-kept secrets in alternative investing. In this episode, I speak with veteran venture capitalist Jon Staenberg, managing partner of the Agate Hound Fund — the world’s first fund of funds dedicated to this asset class. We explore how search funds empower young entrepreneurs to buy and grow small businesses, why the model has delivered outsized returns for decades, and what the coming “silver tsunami” of retiring owners means for future opportunities. The Wise Up! Podcast is your regular dose of business wisdom, brought to you by the members of OpenWater.

How to Avoid Public Health Crises with Help from AI – with Jay Varma

Of the three major disciplines in global health, public health is both the least visible and the least well-funded. And yet, effective public health practices are critical to alleviating and even avoiding major health crises (think pandemics). In this episode, I chat about the future of public health with Dr. Jay Varma, who has led public health programs around the world for the past two decades. We discuss the importance of thinking from a prevention and policy mindset, the crisis facing effective public health administration, and the role of AI in relieving the pressures that put public health at risk. Could AI be the single biggest opportunity to improve public health in our lifetimes? We cover topics including: * How public health complements R&D and care delivery to keep populations healthier * The role AI can play to help public health agencies forced to do more with less * Enabling “high touch” public health at scale Please listen in to join this fascinating —and critical—conversation.