Consulting Spotlight

In this episode of Consulting Spotlight, host Michael Bernzweig sits down with Marla Ballard, CEO of U2 Shine, a pioneer in quantum personal development. Marla shares her transformative journey from navigating personal trauma to becoming a top-performing entrepreneur and leader in the field of quantum coaching.

Raised on a Kentucky farm and later facing immense challenges as a military spouse, Marla reveals how she rebuilt her life after her husband’s injury in Iraq. She started a wellness business, became a top producer in her field, and eventually discovered the power of quantum personal development. This led her to work with U2 Shine founder Victoria Rader, where she not only healed but also unlocked new levels of personal and professional success. Today, Marla leads U2 Shine’s team of 17 coaches, serving clients globally with innovative programs that blend energy work, universal laws, and practical strategies.

Marla explains how quantum personal development helps individuals align their energy with their goals, overcome limiting beliefs, and achieve holistic success. From expanding mental faculties to leveraging gratitude and universal laws, she shares actionable insights for anyone looking to unlock their potential. Whether you’re a business leader or someone seeking personal growth, this episode offers valuable lessons on resilience, empowerment, and transformation.

Key Discussion Points:

• Understanding quantum personal development: blending energy work with practical strategies
• Overcoming limiting beliefs using universal laws and energy alignment
• Marla’s journey from trauma to becoming CEO of U2 Shine
• The role of gratitude in achieving goals and manifesting success
• How U2 Shine’s Abundant Me program helps clients expand mental faculties
• Customizing coaching for diverse client needs across industries
• The importance of aligning personal energy with professional aspirations
• Practical tools like the Empower Me app for daily empowerment
• Insights into working with veterans and small business owners
• The impact of healing trauma on unlocking leadership potential

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In this episode of Consulting Spotlight, we feature Alex Yaroslavsky, founder of Conflict Yes and a certified mediator specializing in workplace dispute resolution. Born in the Soviet Union and immigrating to the US at age 10, Alex transformed his early experiences with cultural adaptation into expertise in conflict resolution and leadership coaching.

Starting his career as an IT consultant, Alex developed a unique approach to understanding human psychology and negotiation. His journey from studying car deal negotiations to becoming a certified mediator demonstrates the evolution of his expertise in transforming workplace disputes into collaborative solutions.

Today, Alex works with technology professionals and executives, coaching them to become more effective leaders while helping organizations establish conflict-resolution frameworks. His approach combines individual coaching with team facilitation, offering both personalized guidance and organizational conflict mediation.

Key Discussion Points
- The Three Pillars of Conflict: Logical/rational, relationship/trust, and nature/nurture perspectives
- Impact of Remote Work: How virtual platforms have made conflict resolution more accessible and cost-effective
- The Four C's Framework: Care, Clarity, Curiosity, and Choice in conflict resolution
- Cultural Influence: How personal background shapes conflict handling approaches
- Executive Coaching: Working with reluctant clients and "coaching jail" scenarios
- Process Implementation: Strategies for minimizing organizational conflict
- Leadership Communication: Common mistakes in handling team conflicts
- Corporate Client Focus: Working with doctors, lawyers, and professional organizations

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In this episode of Consulting Spotlight, we sit down with Steve Wallace, Chief Revenue Officer of Maverick App, a groundbreaking business development automation and prospecting platform. Steve shares his journey from being a full-cycle insurance agent to leading sales innovation at Maverick App, where he has personally sent over 150,000 cold emails and helped transform how businesses approach prospecting.

Steve reveals how Maverick App was born from the fundamental pain points of sales teams spending excessive time on administrative tasks instead of selling. Under his leadership, the platform has evolved to help sales professionals reclaim their productive hours while maintaining consistently high email open rates of 40-60% through strategic segmentation and personalization.

Key Discussion Points:
- The evolution from manual prospecting to AI-powered automation
- Why sales reps spend most of their day on low-value administrative tasks
- How proper list segmentation drives higher response rates
- The importance of domain reputation and email deliverability
- Best practices for cold email personalization at scale
- The critical balance between automation and human touch
- Why consistency trumps perfection in sales outreach
- The future of omnichannel prospecting and actionable insights
- How AI integration is transforming cold email templates
- The shift from product-focused to consultative selling

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In this episode of Consulting Spotlight, host Michael Bernzweig sits down with Travis Fox, the visionary co-founder of Build Your Fortress, to explore how innovative building technologies are transforming the construction industry. Travis shares his journey from real estate and psychology to spearheading a revolution in housing through high-performance panels. These advanced materials, inspired by military applications, promise faster construction, reduced waste, and unparalleled durability—offering a lifeline for disaster recovery and affordable housing.

Travis discusses his passion for empowering veterans and first responders by providing them with opportunities to rebuild their communities while creating sustainable housing solutions. From addressing America’s 8-million-home deficit to tackling inefficiencies in traditional construction methods, Travis outlines a bold vision for rebuilding America’s infrastructure.

Tune in to learn how Build Your Fortress is combining mobility, innovation, and community-driven efforts to reshape the future of housing. Whether you’re a developer, investor, or simply curious about cutting-edge construction trends, this episode delivers actionable insights and inspiration.

Key Discussion Points:
- Revolutionizing construction with high-performance panels
- How Build Your Fortress reduces construction waste by 30%
- Speed-to-build: Completing homes in hours instead of weeks
- Addressing the 8-million-home deficit in the U.S. housing market
- Empowering veterans and first responders with career opportunities
- The role of mobile manufacturing units in disaster recovery
- Cost savings: Up to 70% reduction in HVAC energy use
- Building stronger, greener homes that withstand extreme weather
- Partnering with Habitat for Humanity for large-scale developments
- Challenges in navigating government bureaucracy and capital constraints
- The future of attainable housing and community building

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In this episode of Consulting Spotlight, host Michael Bernzweig sits down with Lorrie Thomas Ross, founder and CEO of Web Marketing Therapy, to explore her transformative journey from luxury retail sales to becoming a renowned marketing therapist. Lorrie shares how her early career in sales at Saks Fifth Avenue unexpectedly led her into the fast-paced world of internet marketing during the dot-com boom. She discusses the evolution of her business, from its inception to becoming a trusted partner for intentional leaders seeking clarity and results in their marketing strategies.

Lorrie delves into the art and science of marketing, emphasizing the importance of aligning branding with values and purpose. She explains how her firm’s unique approach—focused on credibility, usability, visibility, sellability, and scalability—has helped clients achieve remarkable results, including doubling revenues and creating sustainable growth strategies. With nearly two decades of experience, Lorrie also highlights the role of personal branding, digital PR, and AI in today’s marketing landscape.

Whether you're a solopreneur or part of a large organization, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you optimize your marketing efforts while staying true to your brand's mission.

Key Discussion Points:

• Transitioning from luxury retail to digital marketing during the dot-com boom
• Founding Web Marketing Therapy and creating a values-driven agency
• The five-factor framework for marketing success: credibility, usability, visibility, sellability, scalability
• The importance of personal branding and thought leadership in modern marketing
• How AI is reshaping search and content strategies
• Common mistakes businesses make when hiring marketing professionals
• The role of long-term investment in advertising and programmatic channels
• Real-life client success stories: from rebranding to doubling revenue
• Balancing creativity with analytics for effective campaigns
• Tips for identifying the right marketing partner for your business

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Subscribe to Consulting Spotlight for weekly insights from industry leaders. Visit softwareoasis.com/subscribe to join our bi-weekly newsletter featuring actionable data, trends, and expert interviews. Stay ahead in your consulting career with exclusive resources delivered straight to your inbox.