Talentism

Huw coaches founders and their leadership teams to create clarity, attain alignment, and unleash their potential. He has worked with CEOs of VC and PE backed software and technology companies on both growth trajectories and supported them through turnaround or transition.

Huw is a 3-time founder, investor, and speaker turned executive coach. His corporate career centered around his work at Goldman Sachs, Rackspace, and Bridgewater Associates, the world’s largest hedge fund with $160bn under management. While at Bridgewater Associates he was a Senior Management Associate responsible for Portfolio Analytics. In 2016 he acquired and later sold Jungle Disk, a cybersecurity company previously owned by Rackspace. He co-founded CyberFortress, a VC-backed insurtech startup in 2018 (where he also became a Talentism client!). He also co-founded Porthcawl Holdings, a value-driven technology holding company, investing in startups and businesses in the SaaS and bitcoin space.

Huw holds an MBA from Harvard Business School where he was a Ford Scholar and Baker Scholar, and holds undergraduate and masters degrees in mathematics from Oxford University,

Huw is a proud Welshman who lives with his wife and young son in San Antonio, Texas. He is a board member of the local Entrepreneurs Organization responsible for the Accelerator program, helping budding entrepreneurs scale their businesses to 7-figures. He is also Vice President of Programming for the Harvard Business School Club of San Antonio. His compulsions include identifying gifts in adversity, creating inspiring visions, radical self-discipline, and running 100 mile races in the mountains.

CEO/Founder/Executive Coach

H3.xyz

Do you feel like you’ve achieved everything you’ve set your sights on in your work, yet somehow you still feel unfulfilled?

On the outside you are smiling. But on the inside, you are quietly suffering. Despite all of your success you frequently find yourself wondering "Is this really all there is to life?"

There is a nagging voice in your head telling you that you need to make a change. This voice is getting louder and it's becoming difficult to ignore.

You feel an inner calling. You know there is a bigger impact you want to make or a bigger vision to pursue.

You drift into daydreams about making a change and then quickly snap yourself out of it and back into reality because you fear that if you make a big change it will lead to a cascade of negative impacts in your life.

As a driven go-getter with a full-time job and a family, it feels irresponsible to take time to figure out who you truly are and what you actually want.

If any of this feels familiar, you are in the right place at the right time.

You don't have to wrestle with this alone. I can show you how to take this uncertainty and transform it into clarity.

Founder & CEO

CyberFortress

After Jungle Disk acquired LiveVault, KeepItSafe, Off-site Data Sync in 2021 the combined global business was re-branded CyberFortress in July 2022.

Board Director

Interim CEO

CyberFortress Insurance services was an insurtech startup backed by Greycroft and Live Oak Venture Partners. Founded in 2018 the company was shut down in 2022 and its IP sold to Jungle Disk, LLC. 

——

Ecommerce outages happen - when they do, expect a check from CyberFortress. CyberFortress insurance covers your online sales revenue—paying claims within 24 hours.

We know how hard buying insurance is and how painful making a claim can be. That's why we built a simple policy that you can sign up for in minutes that covers lost revenue due to an unexpected website outage.

CEO & Co-Founder, CyberFortress Insurance Services / CyberFortress, Inc.

Porthcawl Holdings, LLC

Holding company investing in bitcoin, startups building the new bitcoin economy, cybersecurity software and managed IT services companies.

Direct investments:
• Purchased Jungle Disk from Rackspace (announced January 15th, 2016)
• Launched CyberFortress Insurance Services in January 2018.
• Launched Modern Managed IT in Aug 2020

Indirect investments include: 
• Strike (https://strike.me/)
• Unchained Capital (https://unchained.com/)
• Swan Bitcoin (https://www.swanbitcoin.com/)
• Giga Energy (https://www.gigaenergy.com/)
• Battery (https://www.batteryfinance.io/)

Partner & Co-Founder

Jungle Disk

Leading strategy and finance for an amazing team to provide data protection, data backup, and data security services to small businesses everywhere.

Jungle Disk, LLC is the first portfolio company of Porthcawl Holdings.

https://www.jungledisk.com/

Chief Strategy and Financial Officer

Bridgewater Associates

Manager, Portfolio Analytics (Alpha) / Manager, Portfolio Compliance & Reporting

Senior Management Associate

Rackspace Hosting

GM, Jungle Disk

Cloudera

Product Management & Business Development

Bridges Ventures

Sourced, executed and managed portfolio investments for a £115 million venture capital / private equity firm funded by Apax Partners, 3i and Doughty Hanson.

Board observer for:
Insurance Dialogue Limited
Smart Storage Ltd
New Career Skills
The Office Group

Investment Associate

Goldman Sachs

Advised and structured creative solutions for UK and Pan-European corporate clients seeking to manage foreign exchange, interest rate and equity exposures.

Associate, Corporate Derivatives (Investment Banking / FICC)

Helping Ivy League-educated, overachievers find meaning and clarity in their career | Speaker, Clarity Coach, Entrepreneur

Huw Edwards

How many "yes"es have you said this week? 

Even today?

All willing yeses?

No?

Don't get addicted to being needed or being available.

There's really no flex there.

There's actually pride in being unavailable.

It honors your boundaries.

It makes you the most intentional.

It gives you the white space to think, zoom out, and make moves that fulfill you.

A great way to sustain excellence.

3x Founder, Harvard MBA, ex-Bridgewater Associates, Goldman Sachs | Executive Coach | Helping ambitious founders/CEOs unleash their potential and purpose

No alternative text description for this image

It's Thanksgiving day here in the US.

Most people use today to list what they’re grateful for.

But if we’re honest, the things we’re most grateful for are the things that forced us to grow.

The setbacks that sharpened us.

The pressure that exposed us.

The moments we thought would break us, but didn’t.

We're not just thankful for the wins.

We are thankful for the stretch that reveals the better versions of ourselves.

So here’s to the challenges that made you better.

The people who held you to a higher standard.

And the version of you that refused to quit when shit hits the fan.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Your work priorities need your attention. 

But your body needs movement too. 

You need mental fuel to sustain your drive.

Doing something physical will provide your mind with that fuel.

You don't even need to be a fitness freak.

A few minutes' run, a few reps of weight lifting, or a walk is just fine.

Anything that engages your body engages your mind.

An engaged mind never runs out of momentum.

JSESSIONID

LinkedIn

li_at

Talks about #values, #vision, #purpose, #coregift, and #entrepreneurship

The growth mindset teaches us to:

- Keep pushing our limits
- Push through the fatigue
- Rest is a reward at the end

A better approach:

- Make recovery a part of your schedule
- Let your nervous system actually relax
- Use short breaks to reset your mind midday
- Sleep early if you can, and let your subconscious do the processing

Your body needs a breather

Give it space to process, recover, and adapt.

Growth happens in recovery.

Here’s how I think about growth:

- Big picture: If you’re always the best in the room, you’re in the wrong one.

- Plan: Get around people who challenge the way you think.

- Actions: Ask better questions, study their mindset, not just what they do.

- Execution: Ignore sabotage thoughts, show up, learn fast, and apply immediately.

The goal is to become the best versions of ourselves.

Plan on always being in rooms that force you to level up.

I spent years chasing happiness.

Until I realized you don’t chase happiness.

You create the conditions to attract it.

It’ll easily find you doing things that fulfill you.

But if you chase it, it’ll leave you longing, hoping, and frustrated.

In today’s issue, I talked about the idea of the happiness we want vs the happiness we get.

I shared ways to help elite performers naturally attract a happier version of themselves.

Read the newsletter 👇

Ever notice how happiness shows up in the smallest, most random moments? Like when you catch yourself laughing at something dumb and realize, for a sp

The happiness we want vs the happiness we get…

If you only rest when you break down, you're not recovering.

You're actually just repairing. 

And it can take much longer than you expect.

Here are 3 ways to intentionally include recovery into your schedule →

3 ways to effortlessly add rest to your busy schedule

Stop: Trying to get it perfect before you act
Start: Acting a little before you’re ready and let results refine the rest

Stop: Overthinking every move to avoid criticism
Start: Trusting your ability to adapt under pressure

Stop: Saying yes to things just because you can
Start: Saying no to protect your time and energy

Stop: Telling yourself you need more time
Start: Trusting that 80% done is enough to start

Stop: Waiting to feel confident
Start: Moving even when you're unsure

As George S. Patton once said, "A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan next week."

Trust your training and go ahead with that plan.

The highest level of success isn’t how many people agree with you, but how deeply you agree with yourself.

So let your choices honor you.

You can't please everyone...and that's a good thing.

Feeling nervous doesn't mean something is wrong. 

Most people try to avoid the nerves or try to push them away.

But you can't avoid what's part of the process.

It can be really tough to stay calm when our nerves are all over the place. 

Here are 4 ways you can control anxiety for a happier life →

4 ways to control anxiety

Imagine how greater you'll be if you engage your body as much as you engage your mind.

You're busy. I get it.

But there's value in doing something physical.

Here are simple practices to get you going →

4 practices to keep you physically active

No jokes.

Discipline and mental toughness aside, shit gets hard sometimes.

Sometimes we get exhausted just by the thoughts of things we have to do.

But practicing any of these will create the joy of privilege in all you get to do:

4 ways to create the joy of privilege in all you do

Happiness is controversial.

It’s sporadic. 

It’s not always there, no matter how successful you’ve become. 

But people think being happy all the time means everything’s working.

Nah, sad times will come too. 

It’s all part of the process of living a full life. 

Learning, unlearning, and growing.

Over the weekend, 1,337 readers learned how to attract a more enduring kind of happiness.

Miss the issue?

Find the link in the comments ↓

It's funny how we can be so proud and certain of our plans sometimes.

And the next moment, we’re questioning things that made perfect sense.

It’s just part of being human.

But it can get risky if we’re too fixed on the outcome of things. 

If we get too attached to the validations of success and the impostor feeling of failure.

It becomes a kryptonite for sustaining high performance.

Over the weekend, 1,337 readers learned how to manage the highs and lows of their emotions for greater wins. 

Miss the issue?

Find the link in the comments ↓

Sometimes, things get really hard.

Sometimes, things appear hard.

There's a difference.

The mind has a way of painting small challenges as monsters.

They look so hard even before we get to them.

Almost ripping our hearts with fear and anxiety.

Can be quite draining.

I shared simple steps to make hard things easy to walk through.

Read it here 👇

Some things are hard because they’re genuinely demanding. But most things feel hard because of the state you walk into them with. Some people don’t se

Open article: The art of making hard things easier  by Huw Edwards • 2 min read

Relax.

Live a little more.

Not every part of your day needs to be structured.

Not every part of your routine needs to be tweaked.

Let simple things stay beautifully human.

Think about the days you did something out of the blue, and you really loved it.

That's the fun of spontaneity.

Are you guilty of always trying to make the most of everything?

This newsletter is for you 👇

We have those moments when we feel the need to make the most of everything. People often exhaust themselves from pressure to maximize their routine wi

Open article: Not everything needs to be optimized  by Huw Edwards • 2 min read

People say wins should be celebrated no matter how small.

So what do you mean I shouldn’t take time to enjoy the highs of my wins?

Well, there’s a point here.

It's okay to pause and celebrate wins.

But it’s easy to get caught up in our own results.

Spending too long celebrating success, and too long overthinking failures.

And we don’t realize how much time can pass if nothing puts our emotions in check.

Because the work is still waiting.

In today’s issue, I shared ways to help snap out of the emotional rollercoaster of results.

You don’t want to miss this one.

Read it here 👇

You know that feeling of being unstoppable when you win. But when we lose, we tend to question everything. Most people stay too long in the high of vi

The emotional rollercoaster of results…

People confuse change for distraction.

You're feeling bored with what used to excite you.

You're getting a quiet pull toward something new.

But you’re telling yourself to stay focused.

What if it's not a distraction?

It could mean you've outgrown that interest you're holding onto.

And all you need to feel alive again is to find the courage to explore again.

You just need to be able to differentiate a distraction from a call to evolve.

Read more about it here 👇

Ever felt that quiet restlessness while pursuing your passion? Like it no longer light you up as it used to? You're not alone. And nothing is wrong wi

Open article: Dare to explore your interests... by Huw Edwards • 2 min read

Our mind gets batshit crazy sometimes.

With the racing thoughts of all the hard things we get to do.

But what's even harder is trying to pull off a hard task with that uneasy state of mind.

It's like you're trying to outrun your anxiety and still get the job done.

In my last issue, elite performers learned 5 simple steps to find ease in doing hard things.

A great way to train your mind to tackle situations in your best state.

Miss the issue?

Find the link in the comments ↓

Ed Howie

Entrepreneurs'​ Organization

Currently serving as elected Chapter President of our thriving Entrepreneurs’ Organization San Antonio Chapter. The Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) is a global, peer-to-peer network of more than 18,000+ influential business owners with 220 chapters in 75+ countries. Founded in 1987, EO is the catalyst that enables leading entrepreneurs to learn and grow, leading to greater success in business and beyond.


Our San Antonio Chapter is a community of current and past business owners 270+ leaders strong. Our current active chapter has 57 members and serves each other through peer-led monthly forum meetings, local learning and social events, access and connections with business owners across the globe…all galvanized by the fact as that business owners we get each other—-the lows, the highs, the challenges, and the joys.  With our diverse backgrounds, unique lenses on life, and real-life experiences, we are the “support group” the isolated entrepreneur knew they needed…but weren’t sure where to find it. It is us.

I’ve been a member since 2014…and wish I had joined many years sooner

President- San Antonio Chapter

BTYcreative

Ed Howie has leveraged his over 25+ years of marketing and operational leadership with Chick-fil-A, Inc., Atlanta Bread Company, and H-E-B Grocery to support his clients and lead his team of communication experts through unique collaboration in growing sales and market share by developing and enabling operationally-sound, visually-compelling, brand-centric solutions.

With depth in both marketing and operations, Ed Howie has an unusually successful track record in maximizing his clients’ brand potential. Ed is also a gifted communicator, presenter, and facilitator, speaking on branding and communications to brands and organizations throughout the United States.

Ed’s core strengths are: ideation, strategic, winning others over, connectedness, and positivity.

In addition to leading BTYcreative, Ed is a founding partner of gusto! restaurants in Atlanta, Georgia, a strategic advisor to Yaystack, and a member of Entrepreneurs Organization- San Antonio.  In 2015, Ed became a certified spin instructor.  He teaches indoor cycling several times a week at Joyride Cycling Studios in San Antonio and frequently at exhale spa in Atlanta.

Ed previously served as Director of Food Service Marketing for H-E-B Grocery Company, a $15 billion regional grocery store chain. H-E-B is long regarded as one of the most innovative retail organizations in the world. Prior to H-E-B, Ed led the re-branding efforts of Atlanta Bread Company-Bakery Cafes, as Director of Marketing. He built his career with Chick-fil-A for 17 years—the last 10 of which he served on the Corporate Operations Team, while leading multiple brand development projects.  

Ed graduated from University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill with a degree in Journalism-Advertising.  He also completed his MBA at Kennesaw State University while traveling 120 days a year at the same time.

Founder, CEO & Branding Expert

Serve Others Well.

Serve Others Well® is an advisory and training company focused on helping you scale your business profitably. How? By focusing on customer retention so that you can thrive for the long-term. Of course, we believe that new business acquisition is critical!  We are committed to serving you as you pursue growing your Lifelong Customers® - whether they’re new to your brand or been loyal for a long time. 

As a speaker, Ed can help business leaders and entrepreneurs intentionally gain peace of mind and improve profitability by Winning Life-Long Customers through his proven formula, “The Wonder of WOOO” - Winning Others Over and Over.  Inviting Ed to speak at your event will give your audience an invaluable opportunity to gain insights and actionable steps to enhance their customer retention efforts and learn to Serve Others Well. 

Serve Others Well offers Keynotes, Consulting, a Podcast "The Wonder of WOOO", data analytics and workshops. We look forward to working with you and your team to transform challenges into opportunities.

JackBe

Serve as lead brand strategist and brand-builder to bring help bring the Founders vision for JackBe into reality.  Inspire and rally our internal brand team and our brand partners as a bold champion and innovator for the brand, focusing on aligning our unique business model with compelling and clever story-telling to drive community awareness, customer engagement and trial, and foster and magnify genuine and authentic brand adoration. Honored to be a part of and to serve with the JackBe brand team, helping build our internal and external marketing systems and processes.  JackBe is radishly different and every day more and more customers are giving us a try…and then returning over and over again. Not a role I was seeking, but honored to be asked during this launch phase. Grocery Pick-up on Demand.  It is a genuine blessing for me to get to blend my many years at Chick-fil-A, H-E-B Grocery, and BTYcreative along with the brilliance and genuine caring of the JackBe team to be the fastest groceries in town…one market at a time. (We’ve been described as “Chick-fil-A but for groceries”) Yes. It’s a clever business model. It’s also grounded in the vision that if we can give our customers time back from navigating huge grocery stores or waiting around for delivery orders, then we are giving them time to invest in more meaningful relationships with those they love and serve.  Yes. Radishly different for sure.  Jack Be Nimble. Jack Be Quick…hand-picked.

Chief Brand Officer~Branding Expert & Category Disruptor

gusto! fresh bowls & wraps

A mutual friend introduced Ed and Nate in March of 2010. Their friend loved Nate’s food and knew Ed’s expertise in restaurants and branding so they set up a tasting. Ed’s first bite was Nate’s notorious Curious Carrots and then he had another bite and another. Ed tasted everything Nate had made, he loved the flavors and was hooked.  From there they set out to partner together and build a brand.

Ed began his restaurant career with Chick-fil-A when he was 15, ultimately working for Chick-fil-A for 17 years. After working through high school and college while at University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill, he was hired by Chick-fil-A, Inc. and worked in Operations helping restaurant Operators throughout the United States sell more chicken and make more money. Ed was then the first Director of Marketing for Atlanta Bread Company before being recruited away by H-E-B Grocery in San Antonio, TX. Ed served as Director of Food Service Marketing for H-E-B Grocery Company, a $19 billion regional grocery store chain. H-E-B is long regarded as one of the most innovative retail organizations in the world. Ed left H-E-B in 2003 to start BTYcreative, his own strategic marketing and branding firm. An experienced and proven marketing and branding leader, Ed works directly with Nate and the gusto! leadership team as the gusto! brand continues to expand and perform above index in the competitive fast-casual/fast food restaurant category.

Founding Partner & Restaurant Brand Expert

H-E-B Grocery Co.

P&L and Product Responsibility for Foodservice Operations in over 300 core H-E-B Stores, 24 Chinese Kitchen Restaurants, and 2 Good-to-Go! Cafe & Drive-thru concept restaurants.  Led increased focus on foodservice operations and marketing best practice applications across product messaging, product development, and operational procedures.  Developed mutliple product franchises, including H-E-B Rotisserie Chicken Salad (Product Development, Operations and Food Safety Process and Procedures, and Marketing and Product Promotion), which remain significant food service revenue channels for H-E-B today, some 10 years later.

Director, Food Service Marketing

Atlanta Bread Company

First Director of Marketing at Atlanta Bread Compnay, building a synergistic brand team of designers, public relation, and media experts that led the brand development and growth of the emerging franchse from bakery-cafe #40 to #80+. Led brand design and environomental design, brand development of new signature cafe items, and built a standardized brand environment and new market launch plan to support rapid growth and expansion.(1999-2000)

Director of Marketing & Branding Expert

Chick-fil-A, Inc.

Worked with Chick-fil-A Operators one:one and through initial wave of Operator Teams to help them sell more chicken and make more money.  Served as conduit between Chick-fil-A Corporate and Chick-fil-A Operators.  Resposible for encouraging and challenging Operators, while holding Operators accountatble for maintaining and exceeding Chick-fil-A Quality Standards.  Led multiple cross-functional project teams including: New Store Opening Team, Non-Traditional Locations Team, and led launching of Brand Equity Operaor Team and Free-Standing Restaurant concepts  in Denver and Houston, as well as other various markets.

Sr. Business Consultant

JoyBeast on mission to do all I can with all I have and help others do same. Founder & CEO, BTYcreative; Inspiring 1M JOYS; “ED HOWIE” YouTube; Chief Brand Officer, JackBe Grocer; Founding Partner, gusto!; Cycling Coach

JoyBeast. Brand Builder. Market Mover. Customer Magnet. Keynote Speaker. Author.
I wake up every day on a mission: to do all I can with all I have to help others do the same.

I’ve inspired 1 million JOYS—now, I’m on the path to ignite 10 million more.

When businesses serve others well, they don’t just grow—they thrive. They scale. They create Lifelong Customers who fuel profitability for decades, not just single transactions.

That’s the foundation of my upcoming book:
Lifelong Customers: The Secret to Scaling Profitably
This isn’t theory—it’s a proven framework already impacting brands worldwide, from United Airlines to sole proprietors. These strategies work at any scale.

Serve Others Well: Win Lifelong Customers
At Serve Others Well, we know long-term profit isn’t about getting customers—it’s about keeping them.

With our Wonder of WOOO framework—Well Orchestrated, Well Operationalized, and Well Optimized—we help brands:
✅ Retain & Delight Customers—keeping them is more profitable than chasing new ones.
✅ Attract the Right Customers—because loyalty starts with the right fit.
✅ Turn Customers into Advocates—raving fans drive exponential growth.

From enterprise brands to entrepreneurs, this approach scales with you.

BTYcreative: We Bring Brand Brilliance
A great brand isn’t just a logo—it’s a story that compels, converts, and creates market leaders.
That’s exactly what my team at BTYcreative does every day.

Through our Market Leader Blueprint, we help brands:
✅ Clarify & Fortify their positioning—because fuzzy brands don’t win.
✅ Create a Bold Brand Strategy—because a great story needs a plan.
✅ Execute with Precision—because success is about action, not just vision.
If your brand needs a breakthrough to reignite momentum, we’re ready to help.

Keynote Speaking: Let’s Get in the Same Room
I don’t just teach these principles—I bring them to life on stage. My keynotes shift mindsets and create action. Corporate summit…industry event- I show teams how to turn customers into Lifelong Customers—that’s the key to scalable, profitable growth.

Want a taste of what works?
➡️ The Wonder of WOOO Podcast—Insights on creating raving, lifelong customers. Find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and thewonderofwooopodcast.com.
➡️ HOWIE GROW A BRAND YouTube Podcast—Fuel your brand’s success with insights that move the needle.

Let’s Build Something Bold Together
If you’re serious about scaling your brand, retaining customers, and unlocking joyful, profitable growth, we got ya.
And if you want to be part of creating 10 million JOYS, you’re in the right place.

Chief Brand Officer

Business might not be personal. But retention always is.

Delta has millions of customers.
Thousands of employees.

But in Atlanta, there's Yvonne.

She works the Delta Sky Lounge.

She knows my name.
My drink.
Where I'm headed.

She makes every traveler feel like the only traveler.

That's why I choose Delta.

Not the planes.
Not the routes.
Not the pricing.

Yvonne.

Most businesses think retention is about:
→ Better processes
→ Loyalty programs
→ Automated systems

They're wrong.

Retention is about people who care.

Processes matter.
They keep things running.

But people?
People make your brand unforgettable.

Your customers don't remember your systems.
They remember Yvonne.

The employee who:
• Learned their name
• Noticed their preferences
• Made them feel seen

That's retention.

Not your loyalty points.
Not your email automation.
Your people.

Build a team that cares.
Retain them at all costs.

Because they're the ones retaining your customers.

Who's YOUR Yvonne?

---

Want to hear how winning brands create personal experiences at scale? 

🎧 Tune in to The Wonder of WOOO podcast.

💡 Struggling to create personal connections with customers? Book Your Free Strategy Call. We'll show you how to build teams that make every customer feel like the only customer.

Processes run business. People build loyalty.

Ed  Howie  🚀

JoyBeast | Helping Business Leaders Clarify and Crystalize Their Unique Brand Story In Order To Grow Their Business Exponentially by Serving Others Well™ | Branding Brilliance 💡 Speaker 🗣️ Author 📖 Podcast Host 🎙️

Your real ROI isn't return on investment. It's return on intentionality.

Every CEO tracks ROI.

Revenue divided by cost.
Simple math.

But that's not the ROI that builds great businesses.

The real ROI?

Return on Intentionality.

Every intentional choice you make compounds:

How you greet customers → Loyalty
How you deliver → Revenue
How you follow through → Retention

Intentionality creates trust.
Trust creates profits.

Most businesses operate on autopilot:
→ Generic responses
→ Standard processes
→ Minimal effort

They wonder why growth is hard.

It's because they're not intentional.

They serve customers without thinking.
They hire without culture fit.
They deliver without care.

Then they track their financial ROI and scratch their heads.

Here's what decades of business taught me:

You can't optimize what you don't intend.

Intentional greeting? Customers feel seen.
Intentional delivery? Customers feel valued.
Intentional follow-through? Customers feel remembered.

That compounds into something money can't buy:

Peace of mind.

Because when you're intentional, you're not hoping for results.

You're engineering them.

Financial ROI sustains your business.
Intentional ROI makes it thrive.

Where are you running on autopilot instead of intention?

---

Want to hear how winning brands engineer results through intentional choices? 

🎧 Tune in to The Wonder of WOOO podcast.

💡 Ready to shift from hoping for results to engineering them? Book Your Free Strategy Call. We'll show you how intentional choices compound into loyalty, revenue, and retention.

Be intentional. Watch everything change.

The world doesn't need more businesses. It needs brands that serve others well.

We're drowning in businesses.

More products.
More services.
More options.

But excellence is rare.

Here's what the world actually needs:

Brands brave enough to serve others well.

Not just serve.
Serve WELL.

That requires three things:

1. Orchestrate

Know exactly what your customer wants.
Not what you think they want.
What they actually need.

2. Operationalize

Know exactly how to deliver it.
Every single time.
Without exception.

3. Optimize

Know how to do it over and over again.
Consistently.
Sustainably.

Most businesses get one right.
Great brands get all three.

Your behavior is your brand.
Your impact is your legacy.

Customers don't remember your pitch.
They remember how you served them.

Anyone can start a business.
It takes courage to serve others well.

The world has enough mediocrity.
It's starving for intentionality.

What are you building: another business or a WOOO brand?

---

Want to hear how brave brands orchestrate, operationalize, and optimize exceptional service? 

🎧 Tune in to The Wonder of WOOO podcast.

💡 Unlock your team's superpower: serving existing customers so well that they never leave. Book Ed to speak at your next event. (Link below)

Serve others well. That's your superpower.

Most businesses don't fall apart. They fade.

You hit a plateau.

Revenue's flat.
Growth stalled.
Momentum's gone.

You think: "Maybe our product isn't good enough."

But that's not the problem.

The problem is follow-through.

Great businesses rarely explode.
They fade quietly.

They stop:
→ Re-engaging customers who already said yes
→ Adding value after the sale
→ Creating reasons to come back
→ Making customers feel chosen

They get comfortable.
Then they get forgotten.

Here's what fading looks like:

Month 1: Amazing first experience
Month 2: Generic follow-up email
Month 3: Nothing
Month 6: Customer trying a competitor
Month 12: Customer gone

You didn't lose them in a moment.
You lost them gradually.

The antidote isn't a better product.
It's creative consistency.

Keep showing up.
Keep delivering value.
Keep giving them reasons to stay.

Retention isn't about one big gesture.
It's about 100 small ones.

Your customer already said yes once.
Don't make them regret it by disappearing.

Where did you stop following through?

---

Want to hear how winning brands maintain momentum without burning out their teams? 

🎧 Tune in to The Wonder of WOOO podcast.

💡 Feeling stuck at a plateau? Book your Free Strategy Call. I'll help you build retention systems that keep customers engaged without exhausting your team.

Don't let your business fade. Keep it alive.

New customers grow your sales. Existing customers grow your business.

Everyone's chasing new customers.

Running ads.
Cold outreach.
Lead generation.

But here's what they're missing:

The customer sitting right in front of you is worth 10x the one you're chasing.

Why?

New customers don't know you yet.
Existing customers already chose you.

New customers need convincing.
Existing customers need nurturing.

The math is simple:

Acquire a new customer: $500 + months of trust-building
Retain an existing customer: Better execution + genuine care

Which costs less?
Which grows faster?

Here's the opportunity most businesses ignore:

Your existing customers want to buy more.

If you could:
→ Execute a little better
→ Anticipate their needs
→ Generate more loyalty

That incremental growth outpaces any new customer acquisition campaign.

Everyone needs new sales.
I get it.

But the fastest path to growth isn't out there.
It's right in front of you.

Pay attention to who already chose you.
It will change your business.

What's your retention rate vs your acquisition budget?

---

Want to hear how winning brands maximize growth from existing customers? 

🎧 Tune in to The Wonder of WOOO podcast.

💡 Spending more on acquisition than retention? Book your Free Strategy Call. We'll show you how to unlock hidden revenue from customers who already trust you.

Grow sales with new customers. Build a business with existing ones.

True loyalty can't be bought. It's earned.

Most businesses think loyalty looks like this:

Points programs.
Discount codes.
Reward cards.
Free stuff.

They're wrong.

I've worked with H-E-B and Chick-fil-A.

Neither built loyalty through discounts.
Neither slashed prices to keep customers.
Neither bribed people to come back.

Yet both have cult-like followings.

Here's what they did instead:

They created experiences people couldn't forget.

Not good experiences.
Not satisfactory experiences.
Distinct and memorable experiences.

The difference is everything:

Transactional loyalty says:
"I'll stay if you keep giving me deals."

True loyalty says:
"I'll pay more because you're worth it."

You can't discount your way to devotion.
You can't coupon your way to commitment.

Loyalty programs create conditional relationships.
Exceptional experiences create emotional ones.

People don't stay loyal to your prices.
They stay loyal to how you make them feel.

H-E-B customers drive past Walmart.
Chick-fil-A customers wait in long lines.

Not for discounts.
For experience.

Stop buying temporary compliance.
Start earning permanent commitment.

What experience are you creating that competitors can't copy?

---

Want to hear how iconic brands earn loyalty that discounts can't buy? 

🎧 Tune in to The Wonder of WOOO podcast.

💡 Tired of competing on price to keep customers? Book your Free Strategy Call. We'll show you how to build the kind of experience that creates true loyalty, not just point chasers.

Earn loyalty. Don't rent it.

Black Friday brought your business 3,000 new customers. Only 180 came back.

That 6% repeat rate? Brutal.

But here's what most brands miss: Not all buyers are created equal.

Most discount events attract cherry-pickers—low frequency, low monetary value customers who wait for deals and rarely return.

Treating them like your VIPs? That's a retention death sentence.

Here's how to separate bargain hunters from real loyalists:

The 5-Step Diagnosis:

1. Tag your Black Friday buyers as a separate group
  → Track them differently from your regular customers

2. Score them 30-60 days later using RFM
  → Recency: Did they buy again?
  → Frequency: How many times?
  → Monetary: How much did they spend?

3. Compare their Month-1 repeat rate to your baseline
  → Black Friday buyers: typically 40-60% lower repeat rates

4. Check if existing customers only returned for discounts
  → Look for purchase spikes during your next sale

5. Calculate average time between their orders
  → Cherry-pickers wait 2-3x longer than loyal customers

Then apply one of two retention strategies:

Path A: For Cherry-Pickers:

Goal: Convert some without killing your margins

What to do:
→ Focus on onboarding and education (not discounts)
→ Offer value-adds like bundles or gifts
→ Only discount at high order thresholds
→ Don't train them to wait for sales

Path B: For Emerging VIPs:

Goal: Fast-track them to VIP status

What to do:
→ Send thoughtful free gifts with next purchase
→ Provide product-specific tips and education
→ Recommend relevant cross-sells
→ Shorten their time between orders with value, not price cuts

The retention reality:

Your Black Friday spike isn't growth if those customers never come back.

Real revenue growth comes from turning buyers into repeaters.

And that requires knowing WHO you acquired, not just HOW MANY.

Review your cohorts monthly. Watch Month-1 repeat rates. Use value-add over blanket discounts.

Because retention isn't just a metric—it's your real revenue engine.

---

💡 And if you're ready to uncover how YOUR business can build a cohort-based retention strategy that turns one-time buyers into loyal customers, book your free Strategy Call.

Let's build retention into your revenue model, not just your marketing plan.

Black Friday buyers vs. real loyalists

Your business isn't losing sales. It's leaking profit.

Right now, your business is leaking.

And you don't even see it.

Most leaders obsess over:
→ Ad campaigns
→ Sales funnels
→ New leads
→ Better conversion

They think: "We need MORE customers."

Wrong.

The real leak isn't new customer acquisition.
It's existing customer loss.

Every time a customer leaves, you don't lose one sale.

You lose:
• Years of future purchases
• Referrals they would have made
• Advocacy they would have created
• Trust you paid to build

The cost to replace them?
Immeasurable.

Because you're not just buying a new customer.
You're refilling a leaking bucket.

Most businesses spend 80% chasing new customers.
While losing 40% of existing ones.

That's not growth.
That's treading water.

Retention plugs the leak.
Retention scales profit.

Before you spend another dollar on ads, ask:

Where are we losing customers?
Why are they leaving?
What could we fix today?

Plug the leak first.
Then turn on the faucet.

Where is your business leaking profit?

---

Want to hear how winning brands plug profit leaks before chasing new customers? 

🎧 Tune in to The Wonder of WOOO podcast.

Stop the leak. Scale the profit.

It's not what you deliver. It's how you deliver that builds loyalty.

A cookie shop in Colorado sends Sasquatch to your door.

Gimmicky? Maybe.
Unforgettable? Absolutely.

Most businesses focus on WHAT they deliver:
• Better product
• Lower price
• More features

They're competing on the wrong dimension.

Your customers can get cookies anywhere.
They can't get them delivered by Sasquatch anywhere else.

That's contrast.

And contrast is what makes your brand stick.

Think about it:

Everyone delivers pizza.
Domino's promised "30 minutes or it's free."

Everyone sells shoes.
Zappos offers free returns for a year.

Everyone makes phones.
Apple created a retail experience that feels like a museum.

The product matters.
But the delivery creates loyalty.

Because people forget what you sold them.
They never forget how you made them feel.

Your competition is copying your WHAT.
They can't copy your HOW.

So what's your Sasquatch?

What's the one thing about your delivery that nobody else does?

Find it.
Own it.
Make it unforgettable.

What makes YOUR delivery different?

---

Want to hear how winning brands create unforgettable delivery experiences? 

🎧 Tune in to The Wonder of WOOO podcast.

💡 Struggling to stand out in a crowded market? Book Your Strategy Call. We'll help you discover your unique delivery method that creates loyalty, not just transactions.

Deliver different. Be unforgettable.

You can't win customers over and over if you don't win your team first.

Here's the truth most CEOs miss:

Your people ARE your product.
Your product IS your brand.
Your brand IS your culture.
Your culture IS your people.

It's a circle.

Break it anywhere and everything breaks.

Yet businesses obsess over customer experience.

While their teams feel:
→ Undervalued
→ Overworked
→ Uninspired
→ Replaceable

Then they wonder why customers aren't loyal.

You can't export what you don't have internally.

If your team isn't won over repeatedly, how will they win customers over repeatedly?

They won't.

They'll go through the motions.
Clock in, clock out.
Do the minimum.

And customers will feel it.

Most companies invest in:
• Customer loyalty programs
• Better marketing
• Sales training

But ignore the foundation: team loyalty.

Your team delivers the experience.
If they're not engaged, neither are your customers.

Start winning your team over:
• Recognize their contributions
• Invest in their growth
• Show them they matter
• Give them reasons to stay

Win them once? They'll do the job.
Win them repeatedly? They'll build your brand.

How often are you winning your team over?

---

Want to hear how winning brands create cultures that fuel customer loyalty? 

🎧 Tune in to The Wonder of WOOO podcast.

💡 Struggling with team engagement or customer retention? Invite Ed to your next team session.(Link below)

Win your team. They'll win your customers.

Yes. We all need this kind of rest.
More frequently than we claim.

Wisdom Kasey Kohtala 

Cheering you on!

VP of Development BrandONE | Managing Partner Me Plus Ultra Mastermind | Co-host Business Bourbon and Cigars | Founder KAFA OY Ebike Distribution

The day after Thanksgiving just hits different. The world finally gets quiet.
Emails slow down, calls stop buzzing, the pressure takes a little pause. And in that stillness, I’m reminded just how much we all need this kind of rest.

Rest is what keeps us going.
It’s where our minds clear, where the best ideas sneak up on us, where the breakthroughs finally show their face.

And honestly, I hope we start finding a new way of being…. And I mean the one where we balance work better, where we stop thinking everything has to be some big, fancy initiative.
Sometimes the simplest ideas are the ones that get the job done and make the biggest impact.

The people who matter, the ones I need and the ones who need me well, we’re still here. We’re just taking a breath.
Letting the noise settle. Letting our shoulders drop for a minute.

Because come Monday, we rise.
Rested. Clear and focused. 

Me Plus Ultra

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