Blake Hill

I just released a powerful new episode of The Training Effect with MK Piacentini-Kao, Studio and Field Training Manager at Heyday. MK manages training and operations across 36 skincare franchise locations, and her approach to building high-performing teams is something every operations leader should hear. We explored: → Why explaining the "why" matters more than ever with today's workforce → How to use KPIs to tell stories, not just punish performance → Why the best managers spend 20 hours a week at the front desk, not in their office → How early, honest conversations prevent performance issues from escalating → What it takes to maintain consistency across dozens of locations without micromanaging MK also shared her philosophy on discovering each team member's "why" and how that transforms retention and performance. This conversation goes way beyond standard operating procedures to explore what it really takes to build culture, trust, and excellence at scale. Link in comments. #TheTrainingEffect #FranchiseTraining #OperationsExcellence #TeamDevelopment #LeadershipDevelopment #ServiceIndustry

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Really excited to share a new integration we're building with the Wellness Pay team. Their practitioners help people find products that actually improve their health, and now those same users can submit Letters of Medical Necessity (LMNs) and FSA/HSA claims without the usual chaos. Huge thanks to Peter Charland, Krystal Vogel, Colin Wrinch, P.Eng., MBA, PMP, CISSP, and Elizabeth Simjian at Wellness Pay for pushing this forward with us, your clarity on the user pain point made this a fun one to solve. You can read more here: https://lnkd.in/gha9PzpU

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Optelos sister company Flyguys is making great strides... driving growth addressing the emerging AI needs in multiple industries. Likewise, Optelos is rapidly developing and deploying AI models to address customer's infrastructure inspection needs. Great interview with Kevin O'Leary which further demonstrates the emerging needs and how we're responding to this rapidly emerging opportunity

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The House just passed bipartisan legislation directing the SBA to help small businesses evaluate and adopt AI. For independent specialty retailers — owners who are experts in serving their communities but not always in cutting-edge tech — I think this is a great first step. AI can unlock productivity, customer insights, and operational resilience, but in my experience access, education, and practical support are still unevenly distributed. Big retailers have IT teams and consultants; small shops do not. What I’ve seen working with our ~20,000 customers is that the burden can’t just be on store owners to “figure it out.” Software providers serving SMBs need to meet these businesses where they are — building tools that are approachable, practical, and deeply tailored to the realities of each specialty industry. https://lnkd.in/emSQU5Pe #specialtyretail #quiltsoftware

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The latest episode is live, and this one is fantastic. I sat down with Eric Gilpin, President, GTM of G2, a leader who’s spent over two decades scaling teams, navigating change, and driving growth in some of the most competitive technology markets in the world. What makes Eric stand out is how he thinks about people, performance, and presence. In this conversation we went beyond tactics and hit on: Being strong at work without losing your presence at home Work demands a lot. But the cost of absence, in relationships, in moments, in memory, isn’t on any spreadsheet. Why alignment with your spouse matters more than “balance” It’s not a 50/50 scorecard, it’s shared intention and honesty about what really matters. What “being present” requires, not just physically there, but mentally and emotionally engaged, even when everything else claws for your attention. The real talk on AI Will AI replace us? Maybe parts of what we do. But the parts of leadership no model can replicate are exactly what matter most going forward. Listening to understand, not to respond That might be the most underrated leadership skill in the age of speed. This episode is about the humanity beneath the headlines and what leaders need to actually thrive in the chaos of work, tech, and life. If you’re thinking about the future of work, AI, or how to show up better in the places that matter most, give this one a listen. 🎧 Youtube: https://lnkd.in/e4nrDEAu

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Early career advancement is a momentum engine that compounds inequality inside firms. Promotions are strongly front-loaded early in a role, and prior promotion predicts future promotion, which is classic path dependence in internal labor markets. That means your biggest leverage is improving first-year growth signals for specific roles like SDRs, analysts, and junior engineers, rather than waiting for annual cycles. Workers at high-promotion firms face about a 6.2% chance of promotion in the next 12 months versus 2.8% at low-promotion firms, so are you tracking “time-in-role to first promotion” as a core KPI? https://lnkd.in/eaHB2G9F

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Proud to partner with the United Way to modernize income verification for families seeking financial assistance. When verification becomes the barrier, access breaks down. Income Passport helps simplify the process- especially for households with 1099, self-employment, and variable income- while protecting dignity and program integrity. Appreciate Todd Jordan, Ph.D. and the UWGKC team for their leadership. Excited for what’s ahead. #GovTech #IncomeVerification #PublicBenefits

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From November 7, our short 5-minute presentation is available on YouTube — alongside five other outstanding technologies. In it, I showcased our BIM-based solution for reducing unplanned breakdowns and production downtimes — presented live and followed by some great audience questions! This approach is just as relevant for facility management professionals as it is for manufacturing. Have a look — and feel free to reach out if you’d like to explore the details!

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"'This is the dawn of something entirely different,' Pax8 CEO Scott Chasin said during his keynote. 'A world powered not by legacy, not by size, but by ideas. Ideas and agents.' Chasin also laid out a vision of an 'idea economy' built on AI agents where software doesn’t just automate tasks but thinks, reasons and acts independently." ☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️ #Pax8Beyond https://lnkd.in/gEmR-Mgv

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