Copiers & Bourbon - Whiskey for the Ages Show

Okay, my friends - first The Greg Walters Show interviewed wine experts in France and Oklahoma, Edwin and Kevin.  We talked wine, bourbon, copiers, managed print services, and wine...and bourbon.

Then, Brian, the Ladies, and I talked for almost 3 hours about the copier industry, his journey from output to Bourbon, and lessons learned from each niche.

That wasn't enough -

I was most fortunate to be invited to share my bourbon adventure as it stands today, taste great pours with Brian, Hannah, and Elora and talk more about bourbon and #copiers.

The AI Surge: A Dot-Com Déjà Vu or the Dawn of a Tech Utopia?

In the high-stakes world of technology stocks, the potent combination of artificial intelligence hype and looming Federal Reserve decisions is stirring a dynamic debate among investors - are we witnessing a replay of the dot-com bust or the dawn of a sustained rally?

Greg's Words

There is so much activity in the technology realm, it may be difficult to concentrate on one issue.  

Follow the money.

There may be a wave of new hardware just over the horizon as AI-compliant/optimized chips hit the market.

Imagine every, single one of today's computing devices needing to be replaced to handle artificial intelligence.  The market is breathtaking.

AI Celebrities: The Next Big Thing in Marketing and Its Challenges

AI Celebrities: Because Even Stars Need a Digital Stunt Double

Executive Bullet Points

1. Celebrities are leveraging AI to gain greater control over their images in marketing campaigns, also affording them the ability to make more varied deals with brands.
2. AI-driven celebrity likenesses open new possibilities in advertising, including de-aging celebrities, staging impossible feats, and enabling real-time interaction with customers.
3. Despite the advantages, AI celebrity replicas present novel challenges in legal ownership and risk management, necessitating standards for verification to protect celebrities and consumers alike.

_________

Anywhere but the Office: Embracing the Future of Work

Breaking Free from the Office – A Journey to the Future of Work

The world is a vast canvas, vibrant with life, ringing with noise, and drenched in color. So why should a man confine his work to the sterile silence of a cubicle? Why should he trade the chorus of the world for the mechanical hum of air conditioning, the drab gray of carpets, and the relentless flicker of fluorescent lights?

The future of work is not in the office. It's in the café with the steaming cup of coffee, in the library with its musty scent of old books, and in the park with its choir of birds. It's in the places that inspire, that soothe, that energize. It's in the places that respect the rhythms of the human spirit, that honor the diversity of human nature, that understand that work is not a place, but a state of mind.

The notion that work can only happen within the confines of an office is as outdated as a typewriter, as obsolete as a horse-drawn plow. Work is not a place. It's a state of mind. It's the quiet intensity of focus, the fever of creativity, the steady rhythm of productivity. It's not bound by walls, nor tamed by a desk. Work happens wherever a man finds his mind attuned to the task at hand.

"Outside of the box? No. Today, there is no box."

_________ 

The Iron Cage of CRM: Are AI Tools Like Salesforce Hindering More Than Helping?

Selling in the Age of AI: A Salesperson's 'Artificial' Friend or Foe?

Greg's Words

Today's CRMs are not designed to help the salesperson sell more, be more efficient, or engaging.  Anyone who tells otherwise is selling something.

CRMs are designed to CONSTRAIN the art of selling by managing behavior to KPIs and best practices.  Today, more than ever, KPI's and best practices are old-fashioned and based on spent business models.  Measuring your ways against the way others in your industry is stifling creativity in a time demanding more innovation and expansion than ever before in history.

"Salesforce said its AI Cloud suite will cost $360,000 a year with an annual contract. Its trust tool will be available to use this month, while other generative AI-embedded tools will be available this year or next year."

CRMs do not help, they hinder.

Executive Points:

1. Despite the promise of efficiency and customization, CRM tools like Salesforce could be constraining the selling process rather than enhancing it.
2. There is a growing concern that these tools serve management oversight more than they aid salespeople in selling more.
3. Data privacy concerns and the potential misuse of AI remain significant issues that businesses need to navigate.

________

Can the Socratic Method Help You Sell?

“I cannot teach anybody anything; I can only make them think.” — Socrates

The world is full of advice. Our little industry is chock full of articles, studies, trade shows, blogs, podcasts, and analyst reports — not to mention more marketing materials than you can shake a stick at.

In fact, there are so many marketing materials it is difficult for prospects to sift through. Combine this with the day-to-day business stresses, and it is almost impossible for you to distill data streams into relevant information. The same goes for your prospects. How can you learn to do so and help your prospects do the same?  It is a daunting task, but one that separates you from the rest of the selling pack.

So, this is my idea – I suggest you employ the Socratic Method as a foundational philosophy.

I know what you’re asking. “How the heck can the Socratic Method help me sell more copiers?” Good question.

The Socratic method is a way of thinking and using probing questions to stimulate thought, expose assumptions, and reveal deeper insights.

This is not just a tool for philosophers; it’s a practical and powerful approach that will significantly enhance your business acumen and selling process.

 Here’s how:

#ReturnToOffice Mandates - Last Generation

The Office or the Home Office: The Great Workplace Debate

Responding to a fine article written by PowerMPS.  The report is accurate and presented in a neutral manner allowing the reader to come to their own conclusions - as I have done in the following response.

____

I have strong and supported feelings and thoughts about this subject. 

Disney is wrong.  The MIT study reflects a false reality.  Corporate culture is a strawman. There is no such thing as work/life balance, there is just Life.

I've been having more and more conversations about RTO mandates, quiet quitting, commercial real estate, local businesses, city tax base, 15-minute cities, crime, the homeless, crumbling corporate hierarchies, the illumination of corrupt management policies, fake 'the company is your family' dogma, golden handcuffs, dumb politicians and stupid people voting for them, increased productivity, happier employees, less pollution, cities surviving on remote workers living in skyscrapers and working globally; on and on.  

Throw AI in the mix and one can no longer think out of the box because there is NO BOX.

Bottom line - companies want employees back for control and self-preservation.  Period.  "Corporate Culture" was a Trojan Horse.  Taco Tuesdays were manipulative and insulting.  Although I'm all for Adult Happy Hour in the office, I'd rather drink with real friends instead of people I'm paid to keep company  - er...that doesn't sound right.

Generational -- I believe the day when generational lines melt away is very close, for now, those arguing for a return to the cubes are of the Last Generation - Tick Tock.  

Or should I say, "TikTok"?

Check out our interpretation of the PowerMPS work.

Executive Summary:

1. In-person office work promotes collaboration, and creativity, and strengthens company culture, with research suggesting that face-to-face communication is significantly more effective for team collaboration.
2. Remote work offers flexibility, resulting in increased productivity and improved work-life balance, with studies showing lower stress levels and higher job satisfaction among remote workers.
3. The shift to remote work can unlock a global talent pool, enhancing workforce diversity and providing equal opportunities for career advancement and compensation.

________