John Florez

This article showed up and was appropriate for what's going on in my world now and in September at Business Technology Association event in San Antonio. It's almost as if someone is tracking my interests. 🚀 AI, like all the next shiny things, without a real-world application to drive revenue is more than a distraction, it can be counterproductive with out an actual roadmap. Don't get me wrong, I rely on AI daily to increase my bandwidth and the team's efficiency, and it's working. 💪 We are able to do things faster, better, and most importantly reduce the investment needed by our clients to utilize the platform. We didn't get there as efficiently as we should have and the new shiny thing needed work. 🤖 ChatGPT, Claude, and embedded AI make a difference, but they're still only as good as the talent you have prompting the response. Thinking that AI will make you efficient at a new skill that others have invested years to be be subject matter experts at is not a great investment. 👏 West McDonald is a great conduit of all things AI and provides guidance for companies looking to explore areas of AI that are beneficial. I attened his break out session this week at the BTA event, and he gets it. West McDonald's partnership with Keypoint Intelligence is a great resource for you to consider when navigating this new world and I am positive he can reduce the learning curve for utilizing AI. 📅 In September at the Business Technology Association event in San Antonio, Texas, I will be sharing AI tools ERPIZO used to shorten and automate business planning processes from hours to minutes. 🙌 Faris Delija was instrumental in creating this workflow and he will be joining me to share our process that you can hopefully use with your team. We are not AI experts but found this process beneficial internally and for our clients. 🎙️ I will also be hosting a panel of business owners who have found benefits in AI and are willing to share their real world application. If you would like to share how you are using AI in your daily business, give me a shout or drop a comment in the post and I will send the link to get you started. It doesn't have to be rocket science - just beneficial and repeatable. 💡 The hope is, given the changes in workforce and the imaging channel model, we can combine enough of these processes to be more profitable. Brent Hoskins, thanks for the opportunity to participate! #AI #BusinessEfficiency #ERPIZOInnovation #AIInBusiness #BusinessTechnology #ProductivityHacks #AIPanel #BTA2023 John Cheney Tim Renegar Dale Fowler John Kuchta Jim Sheffield Mick Dean ERPIZO Brett Apold Michael Mertz Kyle Lasseter Suzanne Bandimere Randy Dazo

5

3 Comments

If a federal buyer was looking for YOU what would they find? Far too many businesses don’t have dsbs profiles…here’s how you can make one in <5 minutes First some context: Dsbs is the SBAs dynamic small business search tool. It’s where government buyers will come to look for companies. There’s almost 400k companies in the database, if your profile is lacking you could be missing opportunities What makes a good profile?  A good profile comes down to filling in the required fields but also writing powerful capabilities narratives and selecting good keywords. A good capabilities narrative is easy to read and centers your companies domain of expertise and gives you quick credibility. Before showing you how to do this let’s quickly touch on what we want to avoid. Buyer’s dont want to read about your certifications, they are already in your profile and should not be mentioned in your capabilities narrative. How can we make a profile with AI? Let’s use some generative AI tools. ChatGPT and Claude are my favorites. Capabilities narrative prompt: “write a concise capabilities narrative for my business [COMPANY_NAME] that specializes in  [CAPABILITY 1] [CAPABILITY 2] [CAPABILITY 3] and has done business with  [AGENCY/OFFICE 1][AGENCY/OFFICE 2]” Keywords prompt: “[CAPABILITIES NARRATIVE FROM ABOVE] Give me a list of 10-15 keywords that relate to the capabilities above, separate them with commas. Focus on keywords to optimize search of people looking for specific solutions for things“ Show me what you make create in the comments… #smallbusiness #ai #automation #governmentcontracting

15

4 Comments

Knowing our clients are able to find this kind of value in the things we do is what we do this for.

3

LogRhythm and Exabeam are merging! This type of merger is exciting… two competitors joining forces. - Exabeam have raised $390m over 6 rounds. backed by Lightspeed, Acrew Capital, Norwest Venture Partners, and Owl Rock Capital. - LogRhythm have raised $125m before being acquired by Thoma Bravo in 2018. If you can’t beat’um join’um. I wonder who’s next? 🤔 Hyber.

70

6 Comments

The best Frac CTO secrets are shared from: • Communities like: https://lnkd.in/e4EdSc34 • Mentors like: https://lnkd.in/eEGnX-Hc • Resources like: The CTO Playbook Curate your digital diet wisely.

9

Are you using AI to supercharge your business development? If not, you're missing out! Taylor and I just dropped a Takeover Unfiltered episode with Darren Westall from Paiger , and it's packed with game-changing insights on how AI can transform your biz dev strategy. From crafting attention-grabbing emails to boosting your personal brand on LinkedIn, Darren breaks it all down. 📈 💡 Did you know that recruiters using AI see a 30% increase in productivity? 💡 Tune in to learn how to leverage AI without losing that essential human touch. Trust us, you don't want to miss these golden nuggets of wisdom. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gut376KM #Recruitment #BusinessDevelopment #AI

8

1 Comment

I am at #SaaStockUSA in Austin today and tomorrow. Excited to discuss bootstrapping, PLG, and GTM strategies. If you are around, let’s chat. #SaaStockUSA2024 #Austin #bootstrapping #PLG #GTM #networking

85

1 Comment

NWA and Tulsa friends, to build more local knowledge I'm making a list of NWA and Tulsa-based software startups, particularly B2B SAAS and analytics. So far my list includes AcreTrader, Nuqleous and SupplyPike. Who else should I know about? #startups

5

1 Comment

I hear the algo is getting even more dismissive of external links but I really hope it doesn't bury this one because we've been working on it a LOT and I really want everyone to see. I want our website to be an accurate representation of us and what we do, I think this page does a good job of capturing it. #industrialnetworking #otnetworking #gettoknowus

70

22 Comments

What is the most out-of-touch organization you have dealt with? I'll go first... The IRS sent me a customer satisfaction survey. Imagine receiving a survey asking how "satisfied" you are with handing over a significant portion of your hard-earned money. It's almost comical if it weren't so tone-deaf. Most Americans view taxes at best as funding bloated bureaucracies and at worst as outright theft. Yet, here we are, with the IRS seeking feedback on the "ease" of paying taxes. The survey dives into questions about whether we understood the process and how simple it was to complete. It's not the complexity of the process that irks the everyday citizen; it's the fundamental issue of watching a substantial slice of their income vanish, often to be squandered on inefficiencies and mismanagement. Instead, the survey should have asked if I want my personal taxes reduced. And, of the taxes I do pay, what programs am I willing to fund. Get that right and I don't care how janky the process is. Contrast the IRS with businesses that genuinely care about their customers' opinions because their survival depends on it. Customer feedback is not just a formality; it's a lifeline. Unfortunately, many startups and small businesses overlook this critical aspect, missing valuable insights that could steer them toward success. Barely any of the start-ups I work with collect customer feedback in a useful way. Instead, they get a couple of random thoughts delivered via a sales person, and that is combined with mostly the "instinct" of the founders, and out comes the next product goal. At BlueRival Software, we understand the importance of incorporating properly acquired customer feedback into our design process. Designing any system in a vacuum, sans data, introduces inherent biases. By actively seeking and integrating user feedback, we aim to create software that truly meets the needs of our customers, free from the tunnel vision that often plagues product development. In the end, real businesses thrive on understanding and meeting the desires of their customers, not structured, large-scale confirmation bias. It's a lesson the IRS could stand to learn. #Business #Product #Design #Surveys

14

6 Comments

🚨 Attention Direct Mail Defenders! 🚨 We've got a code red situation on our hands, & I need your help NOW! I've secured an exclusive webinar event with The Honorable Kevin Yoder, former 4-term U.S. Representative from Kansas, who is now the Executive Director of Keep US Posted. And I have approval to involve a limited number of YOU to join us in this invite-only discussion. Kevin is on a mission. With years of experience fighting for postal reform on Capitol Hill, he's now leading the charge at Keep US Posted, a nonprofit advocacy group working to protect affordable and reliable mail service. As someone who works with the largest direct mail powerhouses to local print shop heroes - I know how much is at stake here. For many of us, this is about feeding our families. Right? With postage costs soaring 33% since 2021 (and more on the way as I’m sure you know), it's time to band together and make our voices heard. Gerry Klug, Converting & Commercial Printing Sales Director at Sylvamo, will also be joining us to share his perspective on the critical role affordable mail plays in the success of countless businesses. My job is to extract from him and Kevin answers to your toughest questions. NOTHING IS OFF LIMITS. (Rumor has it there might even be some intriguing intel on our friend Louis DeJoy…) So here’s what I need from YOU: 1️⃣ Drop a comment with your biggest pain point or burning question about the state of direct mail; and 2️⃣ Tag ONE fellow industry insider who needs to be part of this conversation. Do both, and I'll send you the invite-only link to join us on June 27th at 8:30a Pacific, 11:30a Eastern. We’re limiting the number of registrants. Let me know asap if you want to participate. You ready to do your part? ~ David Rosendahl PS: Remember — This isn't just another webinar. It's a rallying cry for everyone who believes in the power of direct mail. It's a chance to come together, share our struggles, and strategize for a brighter future. And most importantly, it's an opportunity to have our voices heard by someone who can make a real difference. So who's ready to join the fight? Let's show the world what happens when the direct mail community comes together. Let's prove that we're not just survivors - we're trailblazers. I'm counting on you, friends. Together, we can write the next chapter in the direct mail story - and it all starts with YOU ❤️

50

43 Comments

⏰ Some bad news - good news about AI on this Monday morning, highlighting the need for urgent investments in worker reskilling and economic safety nets. 🛑 Jobs are being automated away. “In a survey conducted earlier this month of firms using AI since early 2022 in the Richmond region, 45% said they were automating tasks to reduce staffing and labor costs.” ✅ Displacement by AI is going slow. "But workers can take comfort from Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas data, which showed that among the nearly 40% of Texas firms now using AI, the impact on employment so far has been minimal." #jobs #AI #automation

22

3 Comments

Catching up with Brandon Gano, Fractional COO for small and mid-sized businesses. He and his partner focus on streamlining, tweaking processes to help free up time and resources. (hey, we do that too!). We talk about impacts on the entertainment industry and how companies and displaced employees need to put on their entrepreneurial hats on. He has some good advice for avoiding the "make-money-quickly" schemes, preferring to look at "impact" and "business components." Some good solid advice about finding where to apply your talents and interests. We went down a few rabbit-holes too. Grab a coffee and have a listen or play it in the car/earbuds on your next drive/ride to Tim's or Starbucks. (Spotify link is here: https://lnkd.in/gHfBG-9Q) #smallbusiness #coaching #animation #vfx #entrepreneur #businessgrowth #consulting

4

Pt 2 of Federal GTM series....I made a free tool last night https://lnkd.in/ew2fTmyC In this video I'll show you how to find the exact email addresses and phone numbers of the people in the government who are buying what you sell. Let me know what you think and what you want to see next.

9

Hitting $1.5M Rev in 3 years is impressive... but should he have sold the firm? Was reflecting on this recent podcast with Jordan Sublette, CPA. Clearly he had rapid success both in growing (and then selling to his successor). Can't help but wonder ... with a firm growing so quickly, did he sell too early? On the other side of it, the future is unpredictable and now he has some financial security... What do you think? 🤔 https://lnkd.in/gCnRh8MV #accountingfirm #acquisition #sale #CPAfirm

16

8 Comments

Thanks to Kanhai Kapadia for hosting me on the Hindsight podcast. It was a lot of fun talking about the importance of data in helping brands manage profitability and also how both Consumer Brands and SaaS companies are transitioning to this post-zirp environment #dtc #analytics

21

1 Comment

In Nashville, some of our brightest business minds, including renowned founders and CEOs, have navigated the difficult process of building businesses, only to face bankruptcy years later due to market changes or a bad hire in your organization not reporting key facts and it killing your business. But hey, who needs accurate and timely reporting, right? 🙄 These were $25 million to billion-dollar ventures. And guess what? You or your parents, your kids probably work for these people now because they are often hired to run companies or are given more money to start something new by the best business minds. (duh - this expertise is invaluable) Personally, I don't hide my failures. I think my failures help me 1000% become the best at what I do and why I love my job so much. Nothing is better than business building with the right team, with the right idea, with the right customers. What I dislike about my job is simply not having enough resources in the early days to hire A players and build faster and faster. What do you want to know about my failures? I'm an open book. There's a reason they say peaks and valleys in entrepreneurship. Do not fear failing, fear not working with the best and delivering high quality work at all times.

1