What happens when deep operational expertise meets radical empathy?

In this episode of Magic in the Cloud, we sit down with Jason Zapp, a warehouse turnaround expert whose side hustle evolved into a full-time consulting career helping fast-growing companies fix broken processes, scale operations, and stop bleeding money.

Jason shares how over-delivering creates limitless opportunity, why most operational failures are process—not people—problems, and the leadership principle that quietly powers everything he does: love always wins.

From military lessons in discipline and supply chain to building trust with the most difficult people in the room, this conversation is a masterclass in modern leadership, operational excellence, and human-first problem solving.

If you lead teams, scale operations, or step into messy situations where things have gone sideways—this one’s for you.

00:00 – Welcome to Magic in the Cloud

00:45 – From side hustle to full-time consulting

02:30 – Scaling companies when operations start to unravel

04:15 – Over-delivering as a growth strategy

06:00 – Acting like you already work there

08:45 – “There’s always an answer” mindset

12:40 – Diagnosing symptoms vs. root causes

14:30 – When process failures reach the customer

16:40 – Why it’s rarely a people problem

18:50 – TP Activate: Technology, People, Process

20:10 – Military lessons in supply chain & discipline

23:00 – The secret sauce: Love always wins

26:00 – Winning over the most difficult people first

28:30 – Compassion as a leadership tool

31:00 – Family, mentors, and generational wisdom

34:00 – How to connect with Jason

35:00 – Final reflections & closing

👇 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share with someone who needs this perspective.

What does it really mean to live with purpose—and how do you turn that purpose into lasting impact?

In this powerful episode of Magic in the Cloud, host Joe sits down with Marcus Allen, former President & CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence, leadership coach, speaker, and founder of Allen Global Consulting Group.

Marcus shares his journey from growing up in poverty and homelessness to leading one of the region’s most impactful nonprofits for nearly two decades. Now stepping into a new chapter as a consultant, coach, and radio host, Marcus opens up about leadership, faith, trust, resilience, legacy, and the lessons learned from both success and loss.

This conversation goes deep—covering purpose, EOS leadership, compassion in business, building trust, overcoming adversity, and honoring the life and impact of Marcus’s late daughter, Natasha Allen.

If you’re a leader, founder, executive, or anyone searching for meaning beyond metrics—this episode is for you.

⏱️ Timestamps / Chapters:

00:00 – Introduction: Welcome to Magic in the Cloud

01:15 – Who is Marcus Allen? From nonprofit CEO to coach & consultant

04:10 – What wakes you up without an alarm clock

07:45 – Defining purpose and accepting the life that comes with it

12:30 – Faith, focus, and going “vertical” vs. horizontal validation

18:40 – Lessons from 17+ years leading Big Brothers Big Sisters

25:10 – Why Marcus knew it was time to leave his CEO role

31:20 – Launching Allen Global Consulting Group & new ventures

36:50 – EOS, leadership coaching, and helping executives break through

43:15 – How to build trust quickly and authentically

50:30 – Compassion as a leadership superpower

58:40 – Growing up in poverty and overcoming the odds

1:07:20 – Basketball, discipline, and lessons from sports

1:12:30 – Honoring the life and legacy of Natasha Allen

1:22:10 – Grief, meaning, and choosing purpose after loss

1:30:40 – Pushing limits: Kilimanjaro, endurance, and personal growth

1:36:20 – Final thoughts: living a whole, integrated life

1:39:00 – How to connect with Marcus Allen

🔗 Connect with Marcus Allen:

🌐 Website: https://themarcusallen.com

📧 Email: marcus@allenglobalconsultinggroup.com

👍 If this episode inspired you:

• Like the episode

• Subscribe for more leadership conversations

• Share with someone who needs this message

#Leadership #Purpose #FaithAndBusiness #ExecutiveCoaching #EOS #NonprofitLeadership #MagicInTheCloud

Is AI killing marketing jobs or creating new opportunities? Marketing leader Brandon Lopez shares his 20+ year journey from Oracle to LinkedIn to building his own agency—and how AI is reshaping everything.

What You'll Learn:

✅ How to get your foot in the door in tech marketing (even without perfect credentials)

✅ Why emotional intelligence (EQ) is your competitive advantage

✅ The "Marketing in a Box" concept revolutionizing small business

✅ AI agent building as your entry ticket to marketing careers

✅ How to stand out when AI can do your entry-level work

✅ Remote work strategies for entrepreneurs

✅ The 5-year career gut check philosophy

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction to Brandon Lopez

02:04 - Growing Up in Silicon Valley During the Dotcom Era

04:24 - The Power of Networking: How One Connection Changed Everything

07:55 - 8 Years as an Entrepreneur: Leaving Tech for Agency Life

12:26 - The Stanford Study: AI's Impact on Entry-Level Jobs

17:08 - Foot in the Door Strategy #1: Build AI Agents

21:12 - Why EQ Matters More Than Ever

26:01 - Marketing in a Box: AI-Powered Marketing for Startups

34:13 - From New Mexico to San Diego: Family Background

39:22 - The Psychology of First Impressions

43:19 - How to Connect with Brandon

About Our Guest:

Brandon Lopez is a dynamic marketing leader with experience at Oracle, LinkedIn, and Salesforce. He's the founder of Persimmon Marketing and VP of Marketing at MySidecar AI, where he's pioneering AI-powered marketing solutions for small businesses and startups.

Key Insights for Young Professionals:

🎯 Build AI agents and showcase them to potential employers

🧠 Develop your EQ—it's harder for AI to replicate than technical skills

🤝 Network authentically—67% of jobs still come from connections

🎨 If everyone uses AI, stand out by avoiding "AI slop"

💡 Act like you already work there during the interview process

⚡ Present your agent to a founder who needs it—they might just buy it

For Marketing Professionals:

🔧 Learn multiple AI tools—each has different strengths

📊 Balance strategic thinking with tactical execution

🚫 Avoid AI over-complication—simpler is often better

🎯 Focus on mission-driven work that aligns with your values

📈 The five-year gut check: Are you still growing?

Connect with Brandon Lopez:

LinkedIn: Brandon Lopez

Persimmon Marketing: persimmonmarketing.com

MySidecar AI: mysidecarai.com

Dreamforce 2025: Meet Brandon in San Francisco (Oct 14-15)

Related Topics: #AIMarketing #MarketingCareers #TechJobs #LinkedInMarketing #StartupMarketing #MarketingStrategy #ArtificialIntelligence #CareerAdvice #EmotionalIntelligence #MySidecarAI

🔔 SUBSCRIBE for leadership insights and career strategies!

👍 LIKE if this helped you think differently about AI!

💬 COMMENT What's your biggest AI concern or opportunity?

📤 SHARE with someone navigating their marketing career!

About Magic in the Cloud:

Magic in the Cloud explores the personal journeys behind remarkable success. Hosts Joseph Griffith and Ryan Golan Barsky interview exceptional visionaries about pivotal moments, bold decisions, and leadership philosophies—with cloud solutions as the quiet enabler.

#MagicInTheCloud #Leadership #AI #Marketing #CareerDevelopment

A conversation 40 years in the making—and one that ties reinvention, resilience, community service, and purpose-driven entrepreneurship into a single, remarkable storyline.

In this episode, we explore how Farahmand Kalayeh repeatedly reinvented himself across recessions, industries, and countries. From running a collective art gallery during an economic collapse, to scaling global export operations, and ultimately launching an AI-enabled platform designed to reduce gambling addiction.

Key Discussion Points

00:34 — Introducing Farahmand Kalayeh: Reinvention, resilience & purpose

01:05 — Entrepreneurial mission: building businesses with impact

02:21 — Opening an art gallery during a recession

02:50 — Lessons from launching during economic downturns

03:41 — Creating an art collective with 150+ artists

04:52 — Opportunity mindset in any economy

05:11 — Why American entrepreneurship unlocked his potential

06:07 — Pivoting from retail to wholesale

07:30 — Community-driven art, culture & events

08:22 — Balancing commercial viability with mission

09:28 — Expanding into global sustainable clothing exports

12:16 — The power of pivoting with purpose

13:34 — Giving underserved youth access to sports gear + training

14:36 — “Think globally, act locally”: His community philosophy

16:03 — Kicks: enabling kids through sports

18:00 — The realities of addiction, homelessness & support

19:09 — Storytelling the pivots that shape a career

19:27 — Launching an AI platform to reduce gambling addiction

20:15 — The origin story behind the idea

21:26 — How AI becomes a safety net for bettors

23:20 — Building meaningful work with his son

24:31 — The global scale of gambling addiction

26:16 — The role of tech in mitigating harm

26:36 — How Farahmand immigrated to the U.S.

27:22 — Growing up in Iran & early dreams of freedom

29:06 — Escaping persecution & coming to America

35:10 — Starting over with grit, discipline & 7-day workweeks

40:00 — The mindset that drives his resilience

44:08 — Daily routines that rebuild energy & clarity

47:29 — Gratitude, reinvention, and long-term friendship

51:52 — How to reach Farahmand

53:05 — Closing message

This isn’t a highlight reel. It’s a masterclass in spotting opportunity in unlikely places, pivoting with precision, and anchoring every venture in mission and impact.

Don’t forget to:

👍 Support conversations that matter

🔔 Follow for more stories of leadership, reinvention, and purpose

💬 Share your biggest insight from Farahmand’s journey

🔗 Pass this forward to someone who’s navigating a big pivot

#Reinvention #EntrepreneurMindset #LeadershipJourney #PurposeDrivenBusiness #AIInnovation #GamblingAddictionAwareness #SocialImpact #CommunityLeadership #ImmigrantEntrepreneur #ResilienceAtWork #BusinessTransformation #SustainableBusiness #TechForGood #MagicInTheCloud

Rob Bedell has built a career helping companies uncover hidden revenue, reshape broken sales cultures, and rethink how they show up for their customers.

In this conversation, Rob breaks down why most organizations misjudge their own value, where leaders accidentally create blind spots, and why the most powerful sales shift is realizing that “it’s not about you.”

We dig into the habits that stall growth, the subtle panic patterns that distract leaders from meaningful progress, and how a simple reset with your best customers can unlock clarity you didn’t even know you were missing. Rob brings stories from manufacturing floors, publishing, sales turnarounds, comedy stages, and even the martial arts studio—all pointing to the same theme: know your audience, serve them well, and the rest takes care of itself.

Key Discussion Points

00:00 — What makes Rob’s approach to turnaround work different

03:10 — The mindset shift: sales isn’t about you

08:40 — Learning to say “no” (and why it creates trust)

12:15 — How companies misunderstand their value proposition

17:50 — The simple 3-question exercise that changes everything

22:30 — Panic patterns: why leaders miss what’s right in front of them

26:45 — Hidden revenue streams and the “sponge ball” discovery

33:10 — The danger of selfish sales cultures

38:55 — Leadership resistance: when people say they want change… but don’t

45:00 — How AI is reshaping the early stages of sales

52:30 — Comedy, communication, and reading the room

58:05 — The martial arts philosophy that shaped Rob’s leadership

1:04:10 — Tequila, meditation, and how Rob resets

1:09:20 — Where to find Rob

If you lead a team, run a division, or sell for a living, this one hits home.

Don’t forget to:

👍 Like the video if Rob’s insights sparked something for you

🔔 Subscribe for more real conversations that make you rethink how you lead

💬 Drop your biggest leadership or sales takeaway in the comments

🔗 Share this with someone who might be overlooking value sitting right in front of them

#BusinessLeadership #SalesStrategy #ValueProposition #RevenueGrowth #SalesCulture #HiddenRevenue #LeadershipDevelopment #MagicInTheCloud #BusinessTurnaround #CustomerExperience #AIinSales #CommunicationSkills #TequilaTalk

In this raw and transformative episode of Magic in the Cloud, host Joe welcomes Sonia Aleman—a technology leader who turned decades of corporate program management experience and personal trauma into a mission to revolutionize workplace wellness.

🎯 What You'll Learn:

Corporate Leadership Insights:

How to lead complex, multi-stakeholder technology projects with positivity and consistency

The power of reading the room: balancing assertiveness with authenticity

Why "leading with kindness" isn't soft—it's strategic and drives revenue

Communication strategies that turn resistant teams into engaged partners

Trauma-Informed Workplace Wisdom:

How childhood experiences create workplace triggers you don't even recognize

Why the "severance" between work and personal life is impossible (and unhealthy)

The intersection of professional stress and personal healing

Real strategies for work-life balance in 2025's always-on culture

🔥 Key Moments:

00:00 - Introduction: When corporate excellence meets personal healing

05:32 - Breaking into male-dominated tech: The aggressive approach that worked (and didn't)

12:45 - The candy-throwing UAT strategy: Finding your authentic leadership style

18:20 - The "whack-a-mole" project: Managing negativity across massive implementations

26:15 - Why emotional intelligence matters: The triggers hiding in plain sight

34:50 - The Costa Rica escape: A 16-year-old's survival project plan

43:10 - Redesigning HR: Why we need separate divisions for company and employee interests

51:25 - The transparency problem in hiring and toxic workplace cultures

58:40 - Advice to 16-year-old self: "You're loved, and it's going to be okay"

Employee retention is at an all-time low. Workplace stress is literally making people sick. Yet companies keep claiming "people are our greatest asset" while doing little to protect that asset. Sonia bridges the gap between what we say and what we do—offering practical wisdom from someone who's lived both the corporate grind and the healing journey.

📬 Connect with Sonia Aleman:

Email: soniacoachingk@gmail.com

Instagram: @sonia7_305 (link in bio for complimentary intro session)

Magic in the Cloud goes beyond technology to explore the human side of the tech industry—leadership, resilience, transformation, and the real stories behind professional success.

Don't forget to:

👍 Like this video

🔔 Subscribe for more authentic conversations

💬 Comment with your biggest takeaway

🔗 Share with someone who needs to hear this

In this episode of Magic in the Cloud, host Joe sits down with Jon Cline, founder of The People First Method, to explore how mastering soft skills can lead to hard results — in leadership, sales, and tech.

From over a thousand Salesforce projects to years of coaching experience, Jon shares how empathy, communication, and trust have become the new power skills that separate thriving teams from struggling ones.

Whether you’re leading an AI transformation, running a Salesforce team, or simply trying to build better relationships in your career, this conversation is packed with real-world strategies and stories that remind us: your people skills are your power.

⏱ Timestamps

00:00 – Intro: Turning soft skills into hard money

01:00 – How Jon’s early tech job revealed the power of patience and empathy

03:12 – Why the best technicians aren’t always the best teammates

05:40 – The “People-First” spark: helping others grow inside the Salesforce ecosystem

07:18 – From mentoring to entrepreneurship — monetizing what you love

09:45 – Teaching empathy and communication to technical talent

12:03 – Why soft skills outperform hard skills in real project outcomes

14:22 – How to overcome introversion and build confidence in communication

17:08 – What research says about why IT projects fail

20:15 – How “People-First” methods cut project failure rates and improve ROI

23:40 – The cost of skipping discovery in the Salesforce ecosystem

27:12 – Defining the “Why, What, and How” of every project

30:05 – Executive misalignment: why AI projects fail faster

33:10 – Who benefits most from the People First Method

36:00 – Soft skills as the secret sauce — empathy, small talk, and active listening

39:22 – Using small talk as strategy to build trust and reduce tension

43:30 – How to say “no” by saying “yes” and keep clients engaged

47:15 – The People-First approach to AI: putting empathy before automation

51:00 – Teaching leaders to introduce AI as empowerment, not replacement

54:44 – Jon’s farm roots, foster care, and how adversity built empathy

59:50 – From foster kid to founder — turning challenges into strengths

1:03:10 – Lessons from his foster dad: leading with love, connection, and purpose

1:08:22 – Empathy as the foundation of influence and leadership

1:12:00 – Final insights: why kindness is a competitive advantage

1:14:00 – Where to find The People First Method and free resources

1:16:20 – Closing thoughts: lead with heart, lead with purpose

🔔 Call to...

What do wedding dresses and taxi accidents have in common? Meet Renee Rogers, the founder of ONO, a revolutionary SaaS platform transforming how fleet operators handle post-accident reporting worldwide.

In this episode of Magic in the Cloud, Renee shares her remarkable journey from selling bridal gowns in Kent to managing 500 fleet vehicles in London, and ultimately building a tech company that's solving a problem the industry has ignored for decades. Her story is filled with unexpected pivots, resilience, and the kind of grit that only comes from real adversity.

What You'll Learn:

• How fleet accident reporting is broken (think: scraps of paper, hour-long hold times, and 20% reduced brain capacity during stress)

• Why ONO is saving fleet operators 10+ hours per week and reducing vehicle downtime by 100+ hours annually

• The surprising connection between wedding sales skills and navigating male-dominated industries

• How childhood cancer shaped Renee's fearless approach to entrepreneurship

• The power of embracing vulnerability as a strength, not a weakness

• Practical insights on expanding from UK to US markets

Whether you're building a startup, navigating career transitions, or simply interested in stories of human resilience, this conversation delivers authenticity, wisdom, and actionable insights.

🔗 Connect with Renee Rogers: LinkedIn: Renee Rogers (tagline: "Let's not meet by accident") Instagram: @the_CEONo

🔗 Learn more about ONO and request a demo for your fleet

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction: From Bridal to Fleet Management

03:12 - The Broken System: Current State of Fleet Accident Reporting

06:45 - How ONO Works: The Driver Experience

09:20 - Business Impact: Time Savings and ROI for Fleet Operators

13:18 - The Bridal Industry Origins: Selling Double Glazing to Wedding Dresses

17:34 - Reading the Room: Navigating Complex Sales Dynamics

20:15 - The Pivot: From Wedding Consultancy to Fleet Admin

23:42 - Growing the Fleet: From 44 to 500 Vehicles

26:50 - The Birth of ONO: When You Can't Find a Solution, Build It

30:28 - Leaving During COVID: Taking the Entrepreneurial Leap

33:15 - Collaboration Over Competition: The Fleet Tech Ecosystem

36:40 - Innovation Roadmap: Geofencing, Dash Cams, and Data Integration

40:22 - Breaking Into Male-Dominated Industries

44:35 - The Power of Authenticity and Embracing Support

47:50 - US Market Expansion: Differences and Opportunities

52:18 - 60 Seconds on a Camel: The Egypt Story

56:30 - Dealing with Doubt and Moving Forward Daily

59:45 - Childhood Cancer: Losing an Eye at Age Two

63:20 - Turning Adversity into Strength

66:40 - The Decision to Go Public: Advocating for Others

69:25 - Family Influence: Raised by a Village

72:10 - The Power of Appreciation and Gratitude

75:50 - Final Thoughts and How to Connect

Subscribe to Magic in the Cloud for more conversations with authentic leaders who are building lasting cultures and driving innovation through genuine care for both customers and employees. Like this episode if Quinn's journey from farm to factory floor inspired you, and share it with someone who could benefit from her insights on leadership and finding work-life integration.