Value Creators

The robots are here. Are they useful? Are they ethical? In this episode of The Value Creators Podcast, Hunter Hastings speaks with Marianela Nanninga, CEO of ToDo Robotics. Marianela shares her journey from global tech sales to building one of the most innovative commercial robotics ventures in the U.S. Focused on usefulness over hype, she explains how robots are transforming hospitality, healthcare, and food service by performing real work—with real ROI. From AI-driven cleaners in 24/7 casinos to chip-delivering restaurant bots, this episode explores the entrepreneurial mindset, systems integration, and human-centered design needed to lead in the robotics revolution. Key insights include: * Why “Usseful Robotics” is about integration, not hype * How automation complements (not replaces) human work * What ethical deployment really means in practice Whether you're leading innovation, exploring automation, or rethinking operational strategy, this conversation is filled with insights for the future. Resources: ➡️ Learn What They Didn’t Teach You In Business School: The Value Creators Online Business Course [https://thevaluecreators.mykajabi.com/value-creators] Learn more about ToDo Robotics [https://todorobotics.com/] Connect with Marianela Nanninga on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marianelananninga/] Connect with Hunter Hastings on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/hunterhastings/] Subscribe to The Value Creators on Substack [https://hunterhastings.substack.com/]

What does it take to unlock capital in a system full of red tape, landmines, and outdated institutions? In this episode of The Value Creators Podcast, Hunter Hastings is joined by Dave Kotter, CEO of Integrity Capital and founder of the Hybrid Debt Fund. Dave pulls back the curtain on commercial real estate financing, innovative lending structures, and how technology—especially AI—is transforming capital flows. From high-net-worth investors to B2B borrowers, Kotter explains why relationships are the key product, not interest rates. He shares how Integrity Capital designs financing that works for the future—faster, more flexible, and centered on the entrepreneur. Key insights include: * How to unlock capital through advisory-based lending models * How debt innovation is reshaping the role of banks * How AI, alternative platforms, and decentralization are democratizing investment Whether you're raising funds, deploying capital, or building a financing venture, this is an essential guide to value creation in the modern financial ecosystem. Resources: ➡️ Learn What They Didn’t Teach You In Business School: The Value Creators Online Business Course [https://thevaluecreators.mykajabi.com/value-creators] Learn more about Integrity Capital [https://www.integrity-capital.com/] Learn more about Hybrid Debt Fund [https://hybriddebtfund.com/] Connect with Dave Kotter on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-kotter] Connect with Hunter Hastings on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/hunterhastings/] Subscribe to The Value Creators on Substack [https://hunterhastings.substack.com/]

Entrepreneurial leaders are focused on value for others, especially customers and colleagues. They deliver through innovation, which is the implementation of a better future for those customers and colleagues. This outer-directed focus must start from a place of trust, clarity, and purpose. A place Jim Murphy calls Inner Excellence. Jim Murphy is a high-performance coach and author of Inner Excellence. Drawing from his years coaching elite athletes, Jim shares the spiritual and mental tools that allow leaders to transcend fear, train presence, and perform with joy. This is a masterclass in leading from the inside out.  Key insights include: * Why your thoughts are not you—and how to gain freedom from them * How to surrender control to unlock courage and creativity * The business case for training your heart, not just your mind Inner Excellence isn’t about perfection—it’s about joy. And it starts in the one place most of us avoid: within. Resources: ➡️ Learn What They Didn’t Teach You In Business School: The Value Creators Online Business Course [https://thevaluecreators.mykajabi.com/value-creators] Learn more about Jim Murphy and Inner Excellence [https://innerexcellence.com/] Connect with Jim Murphy on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/innerexcellence/] Connect with Hunter Hastings on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/hunterhastings/] Subscribe to The Value Creators on Substack [https://hunterhastings.substack.com/]

What makes a business truly stand out in the hyper-competitive challenge to create customer value? It’s not just the product—it’s the experience, and the system that generates and sustains it. In this episode of The Value Creators Podcast, Hunter Hastings speaks with Vance Morris, former Disney leader and expert in service system design, about why a customer experience system is the most strategic asset in business. From theme parks to high tech to carpet cleaning to consulting, Vance reveals how to create experience systems that delight customers, and drive lasting loyalty. Key insights include: * Why systematization enables—not limits—exceptional service. * How systems harness personality, emotion, and consistency to create customer connection. * What it means to “plus” every interaction, and how to embed improvement into daily operations. Whether you're a small business owner or enterprise leader, this episode offers a masterclass in designing customer experiences that actually mean something—and work effectively. Resources: ➡️ Learn What They Didn’t Teach You In Business School: The Value Creators Online Business Course [https://thevaluecreators.mykajabi.com/value-creators] Connect with Vance Morris on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/vancemorris] Learn more about Vance Morris [https://go.deliverservicenow.com/speaking] Connect with Hunter Hastings on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/hunterhastings/] Subscribe to The Value Creators on Substack [https://hunterhastings.substack.com/]

How do you build a retail business around passion—and scale it successfully? What does it mean to think in systems, not just solve problems? In this episode of the Value Creators Podcast, Hunter Hastings speaks with serial entrepreneur Joe Zentmyer, founder of Snaggletooth Goby and builder of thriving passion communities—from indoor climbing gyms to tropical fish hobbyists and service ventures. Joe shares how he applies systems thinking, relationship-building, and detail-obsessive iteration to create businesses that endure and expand. Key insights include: * Why systems—not checklists—create scalability and resilience. * How community, location, and hospitality converge to generate value. * The importance of building teams that thrive in uncertainty and complexity. This is a hands-on masterclass in entrepreneurial systems design, filled with hard-earned lessons for anyone seeking to grow a values-driven, experience-based business. Resources: ➡️ Learn What They Didn’t Teach You In Business School: The Value Creators Online Business Course [https://thevaluecreators.mykajabi.com/value-creators] Connect with Joe Zentmyer on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-zentmyer-24aaa17b/] Learn more about Snaggletooth Goby [https://www.snaggletoothgoby.com/] Connect with Hunter Hastings on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/hunterhastings/] Subscribe to The Value Creators on Substack [https://hunterhastings.substack.com/]