Podcast
Amplify People
Hosted by Eric Taussig · EN
This is the podcast of Prialto founder, Eric Taussig, who features highly effective leaders focused on positively amplifying people.
8episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Building Global Movements and Mindfulness With Charlie Hartwell
Oct 1000:26:37Tap to summarizeCharlie Hartwell is the Managing Director at Bridge Builders Collaborative, an investment group supporting early-stage companies focused on mental wellness, consciousness, and spiritual well-being. A Harvard Business School graduate, he has led, founded, or served in leadership roles across more than a dozen industries — from corporate marketing at H.J. Heinz and Pillsbury to founding innovative ventures. Before Bridge Builders, Charlie was President of Ideas to Go, an innovation consulting firm, and founded the first for-profit US expedition company, launching a high-impact Antarctic expedition. He also serves on boards such as Insight Timer and advises or invests in companies like Interaxon and The Shift Network. In this episode… Organizations often struggle to build cultures that endure beyond their founders, ensure sustainable growth, and genuinely empower their people. Many leaders want to amplify their teams' potential but get stuck when balancing profitability with purpose. How can organizations create movements that thrive, scale, and positively impact humanity? Charlie Hartwell, an investor and expert in mindfulness, mental health, and organizational growth, shares his journey of building global movements and supporting companies shaping human well-being. He highlights lessons from founding a nonprofit in Kenya, creating a groundbreaking expedition company, and investing in over 30 companies in the mindfulness and digital therapeutics space. His insights emphasize aligning mission with business models, fostering authentic connections, and amplifying others through systems that empower leaders, entrepreneurs, and communities. In this episode of Amplify People, Eric Taussig interviews Charlie Hartwell, Managing Director at Bridge Builders Collaborative, about scaling impact through mindfulness and conscious leadership. Charlie also discusses how his nonprofit work in Kenya shaped his mission-driven approach, why Insight Timer's community model is a game-changer, and how having the right support systems frees leaders to focus on their strengths.
Transcribe →Culture Led Growth in the Staffing Industry
Apr 27, 202300:46:12Tap to summarizeBarry Asin is the President of Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA), the global advisor on staffing and workforce solutions. A leading authority on workforce solutions worldwide, he holds the overall responsibility for the company's strategy, operations, and growth on a global basis. Barry, the former Chief Analyst at SIA and VP of Strategy at Adecco, holds an MBA from Harvard University and a BSE from Princeton University. As co-author of Breaking Through: Leadership Disciplines from Top Performing Staffing, he shares leadership insights at industry events, and major publications like the NY Times, CNBC, and Bloomberg frequently quote him. In this episode… Good firms can have the best products and marketing strategies but struggle with growth. So what is that one thing they can improve on to scale? For over three decades of being in the staffing industry, Barry Asin discovered that top-performing firms focus most on culture. A company with a great culture is more attractive, and employees enjoy working there and become the best version of themselves. Barry recommends developing great cultures and instituting them in your daily operations. In this episode of Amplify People, Eric Taussig sits down with Barry Asin, President of Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA), to discuss how to grow in the staffing industry through culture. Barry talks about his background in the staffing world, SIA and its application of technology to connect people with work, how developing a great culture leads to business growth, and the secret techniques leaders of top-performing companies deploy when building their business culture.
Transcribe →How To Have Work-Life Balance as an Entrepreneur
Apr 6, 202300:49:08Tap to summarizeJason Brown is the Founder and Managing Partner of PGP Advisory, a firm dedicated to helping entrepreneurs achieve successful business sales and acquisitions. Having spent over a decade in the corporate world working with Fortune 500 companies, Jason understands what it takes to buy and sell businesses and improve small and midsized business transactions. He knows firsthand what it takes to operate a business and brings his perspective and business acumen to help current and future business owners navigate the business sale process. In this episode… Being a business owner is challenging — especially when you have a family to care for. Are there strategies to maintain a work-life balance and still be productive? After working in the corporate world for over a decade, Jason Brown decided to venture into entrepreneurship. The knowledge and experience he acquired equipped him with the capabilities to advise people wanting to buy or sell a company. Seeing this as a business opportunity, Jason opened his advisory firm. What's even more impressive is that he's learned how to grow his company while making time for his family. Today, he shares his entrepreneurial journey and his tips to achieve a work-life balance. In this episode of Amplify People, Eric Taussig sits down with Jason Brown, Founder and Managing Partner of PGP Advisory, to discuss how he maintains a work-life balance as an entrepreneur. Jason also shares his journey in starting PGP Advisory, time management tips to increase productivity, advice for business owners on increasing business value and attracting buyers, and the best software tools to help you find work-life balance.
Transcribe →Leading With Conscious Capitalism
Feb 16, 202300:37:02Tap to summarizeSoyini Coke is the Founder and Principal Consultant at Annona Enterprises, a strategic advisory firm that serves businesses with annual revenues under $100M. Each week, she interviews successful mid-market CEOs as the host of CEO Exclusive Radio to gain insight into emerging trends in their industry or area of expertise. Soyini is also the host of Capitalism Done Right, where she interviews inspiring executives about their journeys as conscious capitalists. She began her career as a business analyst at McKinsey after graduating cum laude from Harvard University in 1998 with a Bachelor of Arts in applied mathematics and economics. In this episode… Leadership is the most fundamental element in the success of a business. Traditional leadership is inadequate in today's rapidly changing business environment. It is time to explore better ways to run a company successfully. So, what is this new way of leading a company? Many business leaders start a business but reach a particular point and stagnate. To avoid this, leaders need to adopt a new approach to business: conscious capitalism. This approach helps them focus on building a business that benefits everybody, not just the economic shareholders but also employees, vendors, the community, and the environment, allowing companies to thrive and reach new heights. In this episode of Amplify People, Eric Taussig sits down with Soyini Coke, Founder and Principal Consultant at Annona Enterprises. Soyini talks about hosting Capitalism Done Right and CEO Exclusive Radio, conscious capitalism, why fixing capitalism in a business is crucial, and how other CEOs find purpose in their businesses.
Transcribe →How Do You Define Productivity? Doing What You Want To Do
Feb 9, 202300:49:26Tap to summarizeAlexis Haselberger is the Time Management and Productivity Coach at Alexis Haselberger Coaching and Consulting. Through one-on-one coaching, group coaching, corporate workshops, and online courses, Alexis Haselberger Coaching and Consulting has helped thousands of people use their time more intentionally and do more of what they want and less of what they don't. After working for over 20 years in Operations and HR for fast-paced start-ups, Alexis developed productivity systems, techniques, and tricks customizable to any team, individual, or household. She is SPHR and SHRM-SCP certified and also holds an RCC coaching certification. In this episode… Would you like to take control of your time, be productive, and do so with less stress? How can you do more of what you want and less of what you don't? According to Alexis Haselberger, many people are overwhelmed by their busy, hectic lives. They live boring lives, lacking time for themselves, family, and friends. It had also been the same case for Alexis until she decided to turn her life around. Learn how she teaches people practical productivity methods to help them do more and stress less as a time management, productivity, and stress-reduction coach. In this episode of Amplify People, Eric Taussig sits down with Alexis Haselberger, Time Management and Productivity Coach at Alexis Haselberger Coaching and Consulting. Alexis explains the meaning of productivity, how to manage time and be more productive, the importance of delegating tasks to a PA, and her new productivity hacks.
Transcribe →How Improvisation Acting Techniques Can Help Company Culture and Communication
Nov 17, 202200:41:15Tap to summarizeDave Collins is the Founder and CEO of Oak and Reeds, which offers practical business training to clients, including CBRE, PayPal, the Kellogg School of Management, and more. He is a nationally recognized trainer, facilitator, accomplished improviser, and speaker. Previously, Dave worked at StubHub, focusing on building communication strategies to improve the ticket seller experience. Dave was also a Strategic Consultant at AECOM Strategy Plus, where he developed workplace strategy, change management, and virtual collaboration services for government, technology, and university clients. He won the National Collegiate Improv Tournament, has headlined shows and festivals across the country, and coached hundreds of people in improvised comedy. In this episode… The business environment is continuously evolving, causing rapid organizational change. So, how do you improvise to stay competitive in your industry? According to Dave Collins, to successfully maneuver the ever-changing business environment, the team in a particular organization needs to be able to improvise, communicate, and collaborate. His belief that everyone is an improviser propelled him to start Oak and Reeds to take the improv skills people already have and help them apply them in their day-to-day work. He now explains how he combines proven learning strategies with improv comedy techniques to help businesses across industries solve common organizational challenges. In this episode of Amplify People, Eric Taussig sits down with Dave Collins, Founder and CEO of Oak and Reeds, to discuss how businesses can scale through improvisation. Dave explains the role improv plays in business success, the "yes, and" approach, the impact of communication on the growth of an individual and organizations, and how to improve your communication skills.
Transcribe →Unlocking Business Growth Through Trust With Colin Bowman
Jun 9, 202200:43:41Tap to summarizeColin Bowman is the Vice President of Sales and Partner at Cultivate Advisors, a firm that provides tailored business advising and coaching to small business owners across North America. As a Cultivate Advisor, he drives revenue growth, enhances client experiences, and builds strategic partnerships with wealth advisors and M&A experts. With over a decade of entrepreneurial leadership experience, including overseeing a franchisor division of 65 franchisees and 350+ employees, Colin applies real‑world insights to help clients scale efficiently. He previously served as a Regional Business Manager at FirstService Brands and holds a BS in general social sciences from the University of Oregon. In this episode… Growing a business often means hitting barriers that have less to do with the product or service itself and more to do with people, systems, and leadership. Many entrepreneurs struggle with trust, scaling operations, and sustaining growth through uncertain times. How can leaders build organizations that not only thrive but also increase long-term value? Colin Bowman, an experienced business coach and sales leader, shares how he transformed lessons from his early days running a painting franchise into proven strategies for advising entrepreneurs. He explains how focusing on enterprise value rather than just revenue or profit helps businesses become more sustainable and attractive for growth or exit. Colin emphasizes building credibility through small but consistent value-add interactions, leveraging referral and partnership networks over automated sales tactics, and leading with clarity, expectations, and accountability. In this episode of Amplify People, Eric Taussig interviews Colin Bowman, Vice President of Sales and Partner at Cultivate Advisors, about unlocking growth by building enterprise value. Colin also discusses how trust and authenticity drive sales, why setbacks can fuel leadership development, and the power of referrals over automation.
Transcribe →The Four Hacks of Happiness and Business Success With Mike Simonsen of Altos Research
May 31, 202200:49:48Tap to summarizeMichael (Mike) Simonsen is the Co-founder and CEO of Altos Research, the premier resource for real-time real estate data. Altos Research provides weekly market statistics, analysis, and reporting for 99% of the zip codes in the US — helping real estate professionals, investors, financial institutions, and their clients make better-informed decisions. Mike is a real estate analytics pioneer whose insights have been featured in national media such as Forbes, The New York Times, and Bloomberg Businessweek. Mike has over 15 years of experience with software development and enterprise application marketing. Before founding Altos Research, Mike was Vice President of Marketing and Product Management at network systems vendor, Nevis Networks, where he led the team from the initial product concept through the company's launch into the market. In this episode… Having a happy team working for you increases the level of your venture's success. So, how can you use different neurotransmitters to maximize your business operations and impact your bottom line? Co-founder and CEO of Altos Research, Mike Simonsen, discovered that good business results happen when people working in that business are happy. That's also when he learned that you can leverage the four neurotransmitters to hack happiness — and your company's success. This means that, as a leader, you need to find ways to generate serotonin and oxytocin every day between you and your employees. When people are high in serotonin and oxytocin, they're more productive and creative problem solvers. In this episode of Amplify People, Eric Taussig sits down with Mike Simonsen, the Co-founder and CEO of Altos Research, to discuss the four hacks of happiness and business success. Mike explains how dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and cortisol impact the success of your business, tips to increase your level of serotonin and oxytocin — which helps you work more purposefully, and how you can hack your business today.
Transcribe →