Unfolding Thought

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  • Tara Hamberger: Building AI-Powered Support for Family Caregivers

    Tara Hamberger: Building AI-Powered Support for Family Caregivers

    In this episode of The Unfolding Thought Podcast, Eric Pratum speaks with Tara Hamberger, founder and CEO of RootedCare+, about her mission to provide 24/7, text-based support to unpaid family caregivers.

    Tara shares the personal caregiving experiences that led her to launch RootedCare+, why she chose SMS over apps, and how Roo, their compassionate AI assistant, delivers emotional support, resource guidance, and even microgrants. She explains the challenges of designing AI for empathy, the importance of accessibility in tech for caregivers, and how RootedCare+’s funding model directly fuels aid for those who need it most.

    Topics Explored:

    • How personal caregiving challenges shaped the creation of RootedCare+
    • Designing emotionally intelligent AI that can respond in real time
    • Why SMS can be the most accessible tech for overstretched caregivers
    • The role of microgrants in preventing burnout and sustaining care
    • Building a social enterprise that reinvests in the community it serves

    Links:

    Have a recommendation? A question? Contact Eric: eric@inboundandagile.com

  • Rob Gallaher: Profit Sharing That Helps Employees Think Like Owners

    Rob Gallaher: Profit Sharing That Helps Employees Think Like Owners

    In this episode of The Unfolding Thought Podcast, Eric Pratum speaks with Rob Gallaher about the profit sharing system he built after starting and scaling multiple businesses. Rob walks through his early missteps with quarterly bonuses, why behavior did not change, and the simple changes that did move the needle: monthly payouts, a meaningful minimum threshold, and consistent communication that teaches people how daily decisions affect profit. He explains how to align owners and teams, what to show the team, and how profit sharing can free an owner to step back without the business slipping.

    Topics Explored:

    • Why traditional bonuses fail to change behavior
    • The three pillars that make profit sharing work: a regular cadence, a real-dollar threshold, and strategic communication
    • Showing the team job profit percentages and using that data to learn and improve together
    • Turning “clock punchers” into profit-minded decision makers
    • Implementing in months instead of years and avoiding common mistakes
    • How the right system lets owners step away without chaos

    Links:

    For more episodes, visit: https://unfoldingthought.com

    Questions or guest ideas: eric@inboundandagile.com

  • Colman Swisher: From CIO to Fighting Private Equity

    Colman Swisher: From CIO to Fighting Private Equity

    In this episode of The Unfolding Thought Podcast, Eric Pratum speaks with Colman Swisher, former CIO of an international healthcare logistics company, about his unexpected journey from being the first technology hire to leading a fight against private equity–driven decisions.

    Colman shares how he built critical systems from the ground up—transforming operations that once ran on little more than email into a fully integrated, data-driven logistics network. He explains what it’s like to navigate the high-stakes world of medical supply chain, why private equity ownership can create systemic risk, and how values-based leadership can hold the line against purely financial motives.

    Topics Explored:

    • Building tech infrastructure in a mission-critical industry from scratch
    • The unique pressures of transporting life-saving medical products
    • How private equity can undermine operational stability
    • Strategies for resisting short-termism while protecting customers and teams
    • Lessons in leadership from scaling a high-stakes logistics business

    Links:

    Have a recommendation? A question? Contact Eric: eric@inboundandagile.com

  • Shawn Kemp: From Xbox to Facebook to Blockchain to Art to Non-GMO

    Shawn Kemp: From Xbox to Facebook to Blockchain to Art to Non-GMO

    In this episode of The Unfolding Thought Podcast, Eric Pratum speaks with Shawn Kemp, a product leader, startup advisor, and artist whose journey spans the worlds of technology, entrepreneurship, and creative expression. From his early days at Microsoft working on Xbox and Silverlight, to co-founding mission-driven companies and engaging deeply with food systems and transparency, Shawn brings a rare blend of systems thinking and emotional insight.

    Shawn opens up about the impact of early trauma, the pursuit of success, and the ways he’s learned to prioritize meaning and presence over prestige. He shares his current focus on creativity—not as a career pivot, but as an honest way to process and express the messiness of life.

    Topics Explored:

    • Reconciling Past and Present: How early experiences shape identity
    • Creativity as Meaning-Making: Art as a tool, not just an output
    • Food Systems and Transparency
    • Letting Go of Performative Success and Pursuing Fulfillment

    Links:

    For more episodes, visit: https://unfoldingthought.com

    Join the conversation by emailing Eric at: eric@inboundandagile.com

  • Bob Knorpp: What 17 Years of Podcasting Teaches You

    Bob Knorpp: What 17 Years of Podcasting Teaches You

    In this episode of The Unfolding Thought Podcast, Eric Pratum speaks with Bob Knorpp, consultant, speaker, and longtime host of The Beancast, one of the earliest and longest-running marketing podcasts. Bob brings a sharp perspective on how podcasting, advertising, and marketing have evolved over the last two decades—and what hasn’t changed.

    Bob shares his journey from agency life to running a consultancy and hosting a podcast that has endured since 2008. He explains why format and consistency matter more than chasing trends, why authenticity always beats adtech gimmicks, and why we should think differently about metrics—shifting from scale to influence, from quick wins to long-term impact.

    We also explore mental models behind podcasting and marketing: why executives misunderstand podcasts as a “numbers game,” how creators can navigate between art and business, and what it really means to build an audience today.

    Topics Explored:

    • Bob’s journey from agency CEO to podcast host and consultant
    • Why The Beancast has endured with minimal format changes since 2008
    • The tension between scale, influence, and long-term success in podcasting
    • Why authentic host-read ads outperform pixel-driven dynamic ads
    • The trap of executives demanding short-term ROI from long-form mediums
    • How audience commitment differs between podcasts and social media
    • Mental models: how marketers and business leaders frame (and often misframe) the value of podcasts

    Links:

  • 45–Courtney McAra: Taming the Chaos — Marketing Ops

    45–Courtney McAra: Taming the Chaos — Marketing Ops

    In this episode of The Unfolding Thought Podcast, Eric Pratum is joined by Courtney McAra, founder of Mustang MarTech, to explore the art and science of marketing operations. Courtney shares her journey from a startup generalist to a highly specialized marketing ops consultant who’s helped teams at places like SurveyMonkey and Marketo bring order to chaos.

    She breaks down the critical components of a functioning marketing operations infrastructure—from clean folder structures and naming conventions to lifecycle management, compliance, and campaign execution. Courtney also discusses the real-world challenges teams face when scaling their MarTech stacks and offers practical advice for avoiding common pitfalls.

    Whether you’re deep in the weeds of a Marketo instance or trying to align marketing with sales and product, this episode is full of useful, actionable insights.

    Topics Explored:

    • Courtney’s Journey: From lean startup teams to SurveyMonkey and Mustang MarTech
    • What Marketing Ops Really Is—and Why It Matters
    • Taming Wild Databases: Clean architecture, folder structure, and segmentation
    • Lifecycle Strategy: Lead scoring, prioritization, and CRM integration
    • The Mustang Methodology: Cloneable, scalable, and measurable frameworks
    • Why Good Ops is Invisible but Critical
    • The Human Side of MOps: Communication, trust, and long-term collaboration
    • MarTech in 2025: Trends, AI tools, and the expanding MOps ecosystem

    Links:

    For more episodes, visit: https://unfoldingthought.com

    Join the conversation by emailing Eric at: eric@inboundandagile.com

  • 44–Michael Whitmer: Food, Trust, and the Stories We Tell

    44–Michael Whitmer: Food, Trust, and the Stories We Tell

    In this episode of The Unfolding Thought Podcast, Eric Pratum speaks with Michael Whitmer, Vice President at Look East and a longtime strategist in the food and agriculture space. Michael has spent more than two decades helping food brands and commodity organizations communicate clearly, build credibility, and connect with consumers on what matters most.

    They discuss how food intersects with identity, why consumer trust in institutions has eroded, and how organizations can communicate values—not just facts—to earn that trust back. Michael shares lessons from his work with the Illinois Soybean Association, The Center for Food Integrity, and other organizations shaping the future of food production and sustainability.

    Topics Explored:

    • Building Consumer Trust in the Food System
    • Why Facts Alone Aren’t Enough: The Power of Shared Values in Communication
    • Lessons from Agricultural Commodity Marketing and Checkoff Programs
    • Transparency, Traceability, and the Role of Narrative in Food Branding
    • How Food Connects to Identity, Emotion, and Belief
    • Trust, Misinformation, and the Importance of Dialogue
    • The Future of Food Integrity and Responsible Communication

    Links:

    For more episodes, visit: https://unfoldingthought.com

    Join the conversation by emailing Eric at: eric@inboundandagile.com

  • 43–Gini Dietrich: Building Trust and Growing with the PESO Model

    43–Gini Dietrich: Building Trust and Growing with the PESO Model

    In this episode of The Unfolding Thought Podcast, Eric Pratum sits down with Gini Dietrich, founder of Spin Sucks and creator of the PESO Model©—a strategic framework for aligning paid, earned, shared, and owned media to build reputation and deliver business results.

    Gini shares lessons from her work advising brands, training communicators, and building a thriving media and education company. She explains how trust is built and broken in communications, what it takes to sustain content over time, and why PR needs a seat at the executive table. We also talk about the mindset behind showing up publicly and consistently, even when it’s hard or slow.

    Gini’s insights are practical and refreshingly grounded. This episode is a valuable listen for anyone responsible for messaging, marketing, or media strategy.

    Topics Explored:

    • What is the PESO Model—and how does it create business results?
    • Why communicators must learn to speak the language of the C-suite
    • The long-game of building thought leadership and trust
    • The Spin Sucks origin story and lessons from building community
    • Challenges and opportunities in earned media today
    • How to know what’s actually working in communications
    • Balancing transparency, authority, and discipline in public content

    Links:

    For more episodes, visit: https://unfoldingthought.com

    Join the conversation by emailing Eric at: eric@inboundandagile.com

  • 42–Peter Kelly-Detwiler: The Future of Energy and Sustainability

    42–Peter Kelly-Detwiler: The Future of Energy and Sustainability

    In this episode of The Unfolding Thought Podcast, Eric Pratum speaks with Peter Kelly-Detwiler, an expert in global energy markets and sustainability. Peter discusses the dynamic interplay between technology, economics, and policy shaping the energy sector today and into the future.

    Peter addresses critical issues like the complexities of integrating renewable energy sources, the role of AI and advanced software in optimizing grid efficiency, and the geopolitical forces impacting energy markets. He also shares insights into cutting-edge developments such as modular nuclear power, advanced geothermal technology, and innovative storage solutions.

    Topics Explored:

    • The Evolution of Global Energy Markets
    • Sustainability and Energy: Defining Practical Solutions
    • The Role of Technological Innovation in Energy Transformation
    • AI and Advanced Software Applications in Energy Grid Management
    • Challenges and Opportunities in Renewable Energy Integration
    • Geopolitical Impacts on Energy Markets and Infrastructure
    • Emerging Technologies: Modular Nuclear, Geothermal, and Advanced Batteries
    • Strategies for Future Energy Resilience and Adaptability

    Links:

    For more episodes, visit: https://unfoldingthought.com

    Join the conversation by emailing Eric at: eric@inboundandagile.com

  • 39–Rick Beato, Pace Layers, and the Evolution of Music

    39–Rick Beato, Pace Layers, and the Evolution of Music

    In this solo episode of The Unfolding Thought Podcast, Eric Pratum explores the decline of album sales in light of Rick Beato’s recent video on the best-selling albums of the 21st century. Rather than attributing the change solely to streaming or market fragmentation, Eric frames the issue through the Pace Layers model—offering a more nuanced explanation for why physical albums have faded and why that doesn’t mean music is in decline.

    He walks through the origins of the album format, how it became embedded in our culture, and why innovations like streaming reshape not just delivery methods but how we define and experience music itself. This reflection goes beyond nostalgia to reveal what truly happens when old standards fade and new systems emerge.

    Topics Explored:

    • Why we’ll never again see albums sell like Adele’s 25 or Linkin Park’s Meteora
    • The problem with comparing physical album sales to digital streams
    • What Rick Beato gets right—and misses—about the music industry’s evolution
    • The Pace Layers model and how it explains slow vs. fast change in culture
    • How streaming disrupted not just formats, but the cultural foundations of music
    • Why losing a familiar standard doesn’t always mean losing something meaningful

    Links:

    Join the conversation by emailing Eric at: eric@inboundandagile.com