5 Reasons Your Product Is Invisible (And What To Do Now)

5 Reasons Your Product Is Invisible (And What To Do Now)

In this episode of The Four Fs Podcast, Jeff sits down with fractional Chief Revenue Officer and Revenue Rascals host Michelle Terpstra to unpack the five reasons X—and the exact revenue systems she uses to take companies to their first $50M ARR.From Costco playbook days and cold-calling in a headset to building BDR teams that manage AI agents, Michelle shares the candid stories, negotiations, and “radical candor” moments that shaped her as a seller and leader.They dive into why “nice to have” offers don’t sell anymore, how AI is quietly becoming the new SDR, and why local businesses and Main Street America need a different kind of growth engine than funded SaaS startups.🔑 In this conversation, you’ll learn:Why marketing and sales must be treated as one revenue loop, not separate silos.How misaligned funnels, BDR screens, and “bait and switch” promises kill deals and churn customers.The five reasons X is breaking founders’ revenue goals in 2026.How AI sales agents and tools like call analyzers can give honest feedback when humans won’t.Why Gen Z sellers crave constant feedback while millennials prefer autonomy—and what that means for your culture.How Michelle helped a brand-new horse camp generate ~$15K in two and a half weeks with ~$300 in local marketing.The story behind The Local Guild and how she’s helping local businesses across the U.S. build a simple but powerful growth engine.🌎 About Michelle TerpstraMichelle is a fractional Chief Revenue Officer who helps founders and leadership teams build aligned marketing, sales, and customer success engines to reach their first $50M in ARR. She’s the creator of Revenue Rascals, a podcast all about making money and growing businesses without “growth at all costs,” and the founder of The Local Guild, a membership and growth engine for local businesses across Main Street America.Chapters:00:00 – Park City, Orange County roots, and the family road trip to find home04:05 – Communications degree, negotiation, and “soft skills” in the age of AI09:10 – Water polo, kids, and dopamine-seeking adventure lifestyles10:24 – First job: getting brands like Bare Naked Granola into Costco12:32 – Why marketing and sales are one game, not separate functions14:28 – Club promotion, Bill’s Bus, and turning a dead bar into a packed venue20:19 – Broken funnels: BDR screening calls, misaligned promises, and frustrated buyers22:51 – What a Chief Revenue Officer actually owns (and why founders need one)25:22 – When a fractional CRO is not the right hire (and what to fix first)28:28 – Affiliate marketing, girl math, and scaling group programs to 1,000+ clients31:56 – In-person events vs scalable online offers and building deep relationships34:32 – Choosing not to “scale yourself” and defining success beyond client count37:35 – Saying no to misaligned clients and why karma matters in sales38:05 – Inbound vs outbound proof that your messaging is actually working39:05 – Why SEO and homepage traffic are changing in the AI search era43:26 – AI sales agents, late-night founders, and saving BDRs from low-leverage work44:48 – From headset calls to closing Google and Amazon: selling intangibles50:54 – Walking away from a “golf membership” sales culture to start a consultancy51:24 – Negotiating raises, being “obviously capable,” and why Michelle never had a mentor57:50 – Radical candor, trust, and not outshining the CEO in the room1:06:55 – Toastmasters, room dynamics, and why you sit by your biggest skeptic1:12:26 – The Local Guild: four tracks, 11 plays, and a growth engine for local business1:20:03 – Selling a brand-new kids’ horse camp with $300 and two local influencers1:22:47 – Amazon, lifetime value, and why your DTC strategy must pull buyers off marketplace1:23:04 – Why sellers and Gen Z reps need constant feedback1:29:22 – Gen Z vs millennials at work: feedback, autonomy, and culture shifts1:31:47 – Final advice.

5 Things Female Founders Must Do to Get Funded in the Age of AI

Female founders still get a tiny slice of venture capital—and Liana Zavo says the real problem is visibility, not talent.In this episode, refugee kid turned “Mother of PR” and investor Liana Zavo breaks down the 5 things women must do to get funded in the age of AI. From fleeing civil war in Tajikistan and being bullied as an immigrant in Austria and Queens, to selling cars, styling hair on Fifth Avenue, and finally building a global PR firm and a fund that writes checks to female-led tech startups, Liana has lived every stage of the founder journey.We get tactical about how to: build an “irreplaceable” personal brand, close the credibility gap, use a 90-videos-in-90-days sprint to stress-test your message, and turn AI (including AI clones) into a 24/7 sales agent for your story. If you’re a female founder, an aspiring builder, or someone sitting on a big idea, this conversation will push you to stop hiding and start getting funded.🔑 In this conversationWhy women still receive around 2% of venture funding—and why Liana calls it a visibility gapThe 5 things female founders must do to get funded in the age of AIHow Liana went from refugee kid to “Mother of PR” and investorHow to build an “irreplaceable” personal brand investors actually care aboutThe 90 videos in 90 days rule to test your positioning before big mediaUsing AI and AI clones as 24/7 sales agents for your storyWhy faith and a willingness to fail matter more than a perfect pitch deckChapters: 00:00 – Intro: 5 things female founders must do to get funded in the age of AI02:10 – Liana’s refugee story: fleeing civil war and starting over (Tajikistan → Austria → Queens)08:45 – Bullying, raising her sister, and learning to adapt under pressure14:30 – From selling cars to styling on Fifth Avenue: portable skills and soft skills21:05 – Discovering PR, “the art of leverage,” and becoming the Mother of PR29:40 – Launching Zavo Media and the COVID pivot that 10x’d her business37:15 – Why women get ~2% of funding: the visibility gap, not the talent gap44:20 – 5 things female founders must do to get funded in the age of AI52:10 – Building an “irreplaceable” personal brand investors actually care about59:30 – 90 videos in 90 days: stress-testing your message and credibility1:06:20 – AI, AI clones, and 24/7 sales agents for your story1:13:05 – Faith vs fear: doing things that scare you and quantum leaping1:19:40 – Funding female-led tech: how Liana evaluates founders and stories1:26:10 – Advice to female founders who feel invisible (and what to do this week)1:31:45 – Closing thoughts and where to find Liana

World's Leading Safe AI Expert: Superintelligence Will Change Everything & It's Closer Than You Think! - Dr. Craig A. Kaplan

Superintelligence isn’t science fiction anymore. In this conversation, world‑leading safe AI expert Dr. Craig A. Kaplan explains why AI is already behaving less like a tool and more like a worker – and why the next jump to true superintelligence could change everything about how humans live, work, and make decisions.We talk about how AI went from clunky 1980s experiments to today’s large language models, why “machine learning” is only one part of a much bigger AI story, and what it really means to treat AI as an intelligent entity rather than a gadget. Dr. Kaplan shares why he’s still optimistic – even while estimating a non‑trivial risk that advanced AI could go catastrophically wrong – and what we can do right now to push the odds toward the best possible future.You’ll hear us dive into:Why AI is shifting from “tool” to “worker” and eventually to “co‑intelligence” with humansThe difference between AI, machine learning, and cognitive scienceThe “AI as a child” analogy and what it gets right about safety and valuesHow early neural networks struggled to recognize a single letter, and why those same ideas now run the systems changing the worldWhy computing power and data – not just algorithms – unlocked today’s AI boomWhat democratic, community‑driven AI could look like and why it might be our best safety mechanismHow to think about the real risk that superintelligence poses… without becoming a doomerIf you’re trying to understand where AI is actually headed – beyond hype tweets and doom headlines – this episode will give you a grounded, expert‑level roadmap for the next decade and what it means for you, your work, and your family.Chapters:0:00 – Intro: Superintelligence is closer than you think3:12 – Craig’s origin story: Berkeley, Exeter & UC Santa Cruz10:45 – Discovering AI and choosing Carnegie Mellon18:30 – Neural networks in the 1980s: why they barely worked25:55 – AI vs machine learning vs cognitive science (the big circles)33:40 – From “AI is a tool” to “AI is workers who use tools”39:50 – Dogs, dolphins and dolphins: what counts as an intelligent system45:10 – “AI is like a child”: values, parenting and safety52:05 – How big is the real risk? (80% upside, 20% tail risk)58:40 – Why pausing AI won’t work and what “steering” looks like instead1:05:15 – Democratic AI and communities of agents1:12:30 – Why AI could be the best thing to ever happen to humans1:18:00 – What to actually do now as AI accelerates1:22:10 – Final reflections and where to find Dr. KaplanConnect with Dr. Kaplan: Substack: https://read.superintelligence.com/SuperIntelligence: https://www.superintelligence.comiQ Company: https://www.iqco.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigakaplan

CEO & Former Finance Executive: I Walked Away From A $750M Portfolio! What Self-Trust Really Means & Why Comfort Is Dangerous

"If the answer you're given doesn't resonate, keep pushing." Tiffanie Janowitz spent a year pushing back on doctors who told her she was fine — until they finally ordered the test that confirmed she had breast cancer. That moment didn't come out of nowhere. She'd spent years building the discipline, voice, and self-trust to recognize when something wasn't right. And when life came at her, she was prepared. In this conversation, Tiffanie — CEO of Limitless Society, former investment professional managing three-quarters of a billion in assets, mom, wife, and one of the most intentional humans you'll meet — sits down with Jeff to talk about what it actually takes to live in alignment with yourself, raise kids who can use their voice, and prepare for the moments that try to break you. In this episode, Tiffanie shares: • Why she walked away from a comfortable six-figure finance career — and how she knew it was time • The "jungle gym career" path: pre-med, public health, Wells Fargo, financial advisor, COO of a marketing firm, and now CEO • Why "fine" is a dangerous place to sit • The 10-why exercise: how to peel back surface stress until you find the real thing • Building self-trust through the smallest acts — making your bed, not snoozing the alarm, keeping your phone out of the bedroom • Preparing your mind, body, and family for a cancer diagnosis a year before you know it's coming • The five pillars of health: emotional, mental, physical, spiritual, financial • Why being the only woman in a male-dominated room can be a superpower • How to spot a mentor worth investing in — and how to outgrow one with grace • Why your failures are not your shame; they're your tools to help others • The night before her cancer surgery, what she said to her wife, and the conversation most couples never have Tiffanie's three non-negotiables: preparation, consistency, discipline. This is a conversation about reinvention, parenting with intention, and what it really means to be in alignment with yourself when everything is on the line. Connect with Tiffanie: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tiffanie.janowitz/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffaniejanowitz/ — Chapters: 00:00 Open tattoos, intentional vacation, and using your voice 03:00 A second-grader's question: why cheerleading? 06:50 What "living in alignment" actually means 09:00 Can you teach alignment to a 4-year-old? 12:00 Nervous and brave at the same time 15:00 Adult equivalent of small wins 21:00 Confidence and leadership as acquired skills 22:00 Self-trust: the alarm clock, the phone, the made bed 29:00 Calendar-driven days and preparation as a superpower 31:00 From pre-med to public health to Wells Fargo 38:00 Managing three-quarters of a billion — and walking away 40:00 "I'm going to quit my job and go to med school" 42:00 COVID, a new baby, and realizing it wasn't medicine she wanted 44:00 The partnership offer three weeks before maternity leave ended 47:00 Risk-to-reward: leaving six figures for low five figures and time with family 50:00 Discovering Limitless Society and Keaton Hoskins 52:00 Being the female CEO in a male-dominated coaching world 55:00 Trust, transparency, and hard conversations as the cost of partnership 57:00 Communicating well: are you being seen and heard? 1:00:00 When the culture is toxic and you're "comfortable" 1:02:00 Coaching people out of overwhelm: change the lens, take inventory 1:09:00 The 10-why exercise (Adam Grant and Brené Brown reference) 1:18:00 How to choose a mentor — and how to break up with one 1:25:00 Why growth can be lonely without community 1:28:00 Philanthropy, High Fitness, and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society 1:33:00 The five pillars of health and a sauna full of tears 1:35:00 Nervous and brave when the stakes are everything 1:38:00 Advice to 15-year-old Tiffanie 1:40:00 Best advice she's ever been given --------

5 Reasons Your Job Feels Empty (And How To Fix It) - David Mead

Most people don't hate their job. They just feel invisible in it. In this episode, David Mead — leadership expert, co-author of Find Your Why with Simon Sinek, and author of Lead With Uncommon Sense — breaks down why so many workplaces have lost their humanity, and what leaders can do right now to get it back. David spent a decade traveling the world on Simon Sinek's team, speaking to thousands of leaders across every industry. What he found was always the same: we already know what great leadership looks like. We're just not doing it. In this conversation we cover: * Why businesses are built around metrics instead of people * Why leaders get promoted without being trained to lead * The trust formula every leader needs to understand * The difference between proximity and presence * Why small, frictionless behaviors create massive culture change * How to lead yourself before you lead others If you've ever felt unseen at work — or if you're a leader who wants to change that — this episode is for you. Chapters 00:01:07 - Where David is from & early life 00:05:25 - His mom's story & Persian heritage 00:09:08 - Education system & what we're getting wrong 00:13:34 - From cell phone sales to corporate training 00:14:14 - The polar opposite approach to relationships 00:16:28 - Why humanity is missing at work 00:18:43 - The real reason leaders focus on metrics 00:19:33 - Why fear stops leaders from changing 00:21:05 - Leaders get promoted without being trained 00:28:06 - Bankruptcy, Apple Store & starting over 00:31:10 - Meeting Simon Sinek for the first time 00:34:57 - Launching a speaking career & losing his voice 00:38:05 - The miracle that unlocked everything 00:39:05 - Building a career with Simon 2012–2019 00:45:52 - Leaving Simon's team & COVID wiping it all out 00:48:36 - Selling the house & trusting the process 00:54:59 - Writing Lead With Uncommon Sense 00:56:08 - The title explained 01:00:00 - Morning routine breakdown 01:04:26 - His three daily affirmations 01:07:34 - Life plan vs. business plan 01:11:33 - One common thread from every great leader 01:17:19 - A leader without trust is just a person giving orders 01:18:05 - The trust formula: Expectation + Experience = Trust 01:19:52 - Progress over perfection 01:22:53 - The difference between hearing and listening 01:25:10 - Humanity isn't about proximity, it's about presence 📖 David's book: Lead With Uncommon Sense (Affiliate link): https://amzn.to/4fyVsxZ🔗 Connect with David: https://davidjmead.com/If you enjoy Modern Wisdom, Diary of a CEO, WorkLife with Adam Grant, or Dare to Lead with Brené Brown, you'll love this conversation.