BusinessEntrepreneurshipManagement

Ten Thousand Miles

Vic Pepe

The road to success is full of hard work and determination. It is never easy - you just learn to handle hard... Here, I interview people who "make it look easy" but leave it all on the field daily to do so.

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Monday · 1 hr 10 min
The Secret to Building an Empire Isn't What You Think
Most people only show interest when you have already achieved success, not when you are struggling or in need. This conversation breaks down the reality of entrepreneurship and why a lack of genuine drive is the number one reason people quit their goals. If you are chasing a dream, you need to understand how to sustain your mindset when the money isn't there yet. We explore the brutal honesty required for long-term business success and how to keep going when the world is against you. It is easy to stay motivated when things are going well, but the real test is how you handle the moments when you have nothing to show for your effort. CHAPTERS: 00:00 Show Teaser 01:14 From Cleaning Locker Rooms to Entrepreneur 06:55 The Hustle That Built Retro Fitness 14:45 Finding Your Passion and Purpose 23:56 The Secret to Scaling a Business 36:10 Learning to Let Go and Overcome Fear 47:35 Walking Away From Success to Start Again 57:25 Reinventing Health, Wellness, and Longevity 01:07:40 Success Leaves Clues: Discipline Over Motivation
October 5 · 27 min
Don't Fear AI: Fear the Person Who Knows How to Use It
AI job displacement isn't the real threat to your career. The person sitting at the next desk might be. Many professionals spend their time worrying about automation replacing their roles. While the technology is advancing, the true risk to your stability often comes from human peers who are adapting faster and working smarter. Improving your career advice strategy means focusing on what you bring to the table that software cannot replicate. When you shift your focus from the machine to your own professional growth, you stop fearing obsolescence and start building a career that thrives on workplace competition. CHAPTERS: 00:00 Show Teaser 00:45 Your Job Isn’t Safe: The Real AI Threat 02:50 What Past Technology Revolutions Teach Us 07:40 Why AI-Powered Employees Will Pull Ahead 10:05 How I’m Using AI to Transform My Work 17:15 From AI Assistance to AI Delegation 20:50 Turning Weeks of Work Into Minutes 25:35 Experience + AI: Your New Competitive Advantage
September 28 · 1 hr 19 min
Andy Timmons - Jeff Beck, Olivia Newton John & the Pursuit of Perfect Tone!
How do legends like Jeff Beck shape your sound? Andy Timmons breaks down the reality of finding perfect guitar tone. Getting the right sound is not just about pedals or amps. Andy Timmons shares how his time touring with Olivia Newton-John and studying the playing style of Jeff Beck fundamentally changed his approach to the instrument. This conversation is a masterclass in musical expression. Whether you are a beginner or a pro, you will learn how to stop chasing gear and start focusing on the emotional weight behind your notes to achieve a truly perfect guitar tone. Chapters: 00:00 Intro Highlights 00:50 Andy Timmons: Early Breaks, Bad English & Danger Danger 10:17 15 Years with Olivia Newton-John & John Travolta 19:37 “Cry for You,” Steve Vai, Paul Gilbert & Jeff Beck 37:02 Songwriting, Melody & Finding Your Own Voice 48:12 The Lifelong Search for Perfect Guitar Tone 53:38 Daily Practice, Technique & the Pursuit of Greatness 1:03:39 Chopin, Outlier Nocturnes & What’s Next
September 21 · 1 hr 4 min
Why Neuroperformance Is the World's Next Big Industry - Dr. David Bach
Can neuroperformance technology reach peak human performance? We look at the data behind shifting your brain states. Dr. David Bach discusses how specific neuroperformance technology can shift your brain states to optimize output. This conversation breaks down the experiment that started it all and how these methods apply to your daily routine. If you are looking for new productivity tools to refine your decision-making, this session provides a clear roadmap. We examine proven results suggesting you can achieve sharper focus and faster mental clarity through these protocols. Chapters: 00:00 – Intro: Highlights 01:51 – From Harvard Doctor to Neurotech Founder 06:44 – Can We Measure the Zone? 14:50 – Training Your Brain for Peak Performance 20:49 – The Iron Man Vision for AI 29:30 – How Optios Reads Human Performance 36:00 – AI, Neurofeedback & Real-Time Intervention 46:23 – Transforming Sports and Athlete Performance 58:26 – The Future of Human + AI
September 14 · 1 hr 21 min
Master Your Emotions, Master Your Life!
Learn to master your emotions to change the trajectory of your life. The subconscious mind drives 95% of your daily actions. Most people operate on autopilot, unaware that their internal programming dictates their external results. In this conversation, we break down why your subconscious mind is the actual engine behind your habits and how you can begin to audit that programming to shape your reality more intentionally. Understanding these mechanisms is the first step toward true personal growth. When you stop reacting to the world and start managing the beliefs that drive your behavior, you regain control over your outcomes. We discuss practical ways to bridge the gap between what you want and what you actually do. Subscribe for weekly success mindset breakdowns, and let me know in the comments: what is one habit you are currently working to change? CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 01:45 What Is Emotional Mastery? 11:26 Constance’s Journey 18:29 When Persistence Becomes Denial 22:33 When Career Becomes Your Identity 30:47 Emotional Mastery for Leaders 47:25 The Patterns Holding You Back 01:06:12 The Success Trap
September 8 · 29 min
You May Be Closer Than You Think
You might be on the one-yard line and not even know it. Why quit now when you are closer than you think? We often measure our progress by external milestones, but real growth is usually invisible until it hits the tipping point. If you feel like your effort isn't paying off, you might just be dealing with the gap between action and results. This is where most people abandon their goals, failing to see that their persistence is actually compounding beneath the surface. Only 32% of our community is currently subscribed, which means many of you are missing the specific tools needed to maintain a high-level success mindset. Whether you are building a business or chasing a personal milestone, stop judging your journey by lagging indicators. Start trusting the process that happens before the breakthrough. Subscribe for weekly success mindset breakdowns, and let me know in the comments: what is the one milestone you are currently pushing toward? CHAPTERS 00:00 - Please Subscribe 00:30 - What If You’re Closer Than You Think? 02:20 - Why the Scoreboard Can Lie 09:54 - Hindsight Makes Success Look Inevitable 12:59 - The One-Yard-Line Problem 16:57 - Persistence vs. Stubbornness 20:00 - 3 Questions to Ask Before You Quit 26:25 - The Invisible Compound Effect
September 1 · 23 min
Why You're Not Lucky Yet (and how to fix it!)
Luck, success, leadership, career growth, resilience, relationships, preparation, and opportunity. Vic Pepe explains why “lucky” people may not actually have more luck. They build a bigger landing pad for it. In this episode, I pull a lesson from my first book, The Lucky 13: The Definitive Set of Core Competencies for Great Leadership, and dig into something I've thought about for most of my career: What if you could actually increase your chances of getting lucky? I used to call myself “the luckiest guy in technology.” And I've absolutely had breaks I couldn't manufacture. I met the right people. Opportunities appeared at exactly the right moment. Doors opened that I couldn't have predicted. But that's only half the story. I believe luck becomes powerful when it meets preparation, resilience, relationships, timing, choices and the willingness to act. I share how a failed career in the music business led me to an $11-an-hour technology job, how one relationship helped change the trajectory of my career, and how relentlessly learning and expanding my skills eventually helped put me in the CIO seat. We also talk about why maintaining relationships for decades matters, why you have to take calculated risks before you feel completely ready, and why some of the worst breaks of your career can eventually become the moments you're most grateful happened. I also give you an exercise I've used for years: identify the 13 moments that made you who you are today. Don't just list accomplishments. Include the people, failures, decisions, accidents, opportunities, wins, losses and turning points. Then look for the pattern. You may discover that some of the moments you once considered incredibly unlucky were actually responsible for getting you exactly where you needed to go. You can't control when opportunity knocks. You can control whether you're home to answer the door. If this episode gave you something to think about, please subscribe and leave a comment, and share it with someone who could use this message. And tell me in the comments: What's one moment in your life that felt unlucky at the time, but turned out to be a blessing later? The Lucky 13 by Vic Pepe is available on Amazon in paperback, hardcover and eBook. Chapters 00:00 - Please Subscribe + What Does It Mean to Be Lucky? 03:05 - The Black Hawk Theory: Build a Bigger Landing Pad 04:36 - The Lucky Break That Changed My Career 09:19 - How to Create More Opportunities for Luck 11:45 - Relationships, Risk and Playing the Long Game 14:00 - When Bad Luck Is Actually Redirecting You 19:48 - The 13 Moments That Made You Who You Are 23:00 - How to Become “Luckier” in Life
August 25 · 1 hr 9 min
It’s Tough Out There – Keep Going!
Vic and JD share personal stories from their own careers, including moments when success suddenly turned into uncertainty. They explore why we attach so much of our identity to our jobs, why losing a role can feel like losing our value, and how to separate a temporary setback from the bigger story of who we are. They also dig into the realities of today’s job market, from AI-driven resume screening and recruiter ghosting to the power of relationships, referrals, and having people willing to make a phone call on your behalf. Most importantly, this is a conversation about confidence. How do you rebuild it? How do you create new evidence that you’re still capable? When should you ask for help? And what does it actually look like to support someone who’s sitting on the bench? If you’ve been laid off, pushed out, passed over, rejected, or you’re simply questioning what comes next, this episode is for you. You lost a job. You didn’t lose your value. CHAPTERS 00:00 — When Your Career Knocks You Down 05:09 — Your Job Is Not Your Identity 11:00 — Surviving Setbacks & Owning Your Story 23:38 — Confidence Is Built, Not Given 29:59 — The Job Search Is Broken 40:11 — Stop Applying. Start Working Your Network. 46:57 — Asking for Help & Actually Helping Others 56:39 — Your Setback Might Be Your Next Beginning Whether you’re actively searching for your next opportunity or helping someone who is, remember this: One bad chapter doesn’t erase the entire story.
August 18 · 25 min
The Buy vs. Build Trap: What I Wish I Knew as a CIO (earlier).
Everyone faces embarrassing moments when starting out, but these experiences often shape our future trajectory. This discussion focuses on reframing failure and finding the value in those awkward early career lessons. If you feel stuck comparing your beginning to someone else's middle, this perspective on professional growth will help you reset your expectations. We explore why adopting a progress over perfection attitude is essential for long-term success. By looking at how minor setbacks serve as building blocks, you can approach your daily work with more confidence. Whether you are navigating your first job or pivoting to a new industry, embracing these career lessons helps you move forward without the weight of past errors. Subscribe for weekly career advice breakdowns, and let me know in the comments: what is one mistake you made that taught you a valuable lesson? Chapters: 00:00 – Intro: The Embarrassing Story From My First Strategy Meeting 04:47 – Why CIOs Don't Need a Team — They Need an Army 09:32 – The Data Doesn't Lie: IT Project Failure Rates 13:58 – AI Is Becoming a Commodity — Stop Trying to Build It 18:32 – The Real Cost of Building In-House 24:07 – How to Buy Smart: A Framework for CIOs Referenced in this episode: Vic's LinkedIn paper, "What I Wish I Knew as a New CIO." https://www.linkedin.com/posts/vic-pepe_a-30-year-look-back-activity-7490739364658860032-XeFX?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAB0zZUB4hhw7iJ4uEsh5eZZF3GNL-u_kIo
August 11 · 1 hr 12 min
AI Didn't Replace Us, It Multiplied Us! | Jason Tanaka
Technology leadership requires more than just code. Learn how to balance serious decision-making with genuine joy. Sit down with Jason Tanaka, a fellow technologist and leader, as we break down the realities of managing technical teams. This conversation moves beyond standard management theory to focus on the human side of engineering management, exploring how we maintain authenticity while navigating high-stakes projects. We discuss the specific challenges of career growth in the current landscape. By examining our own experiences—from serious strategy sessions to lighter, joyful exchanges—we highlight how technical mentorship and building strong workplace dynamics can define your trajectory. You will walk away with a clearer understanding of how to lead with both competence and character. Subscribe for weekly technology leadership breakdowns, and let me know your biggest management hurdle in the comments. CHAPTERS 00:00 - Meet Jason Tanaka and the AI-First Conversation 04:04 - The "Cocoon": Reinventing Software Development With AI 13:54 - What Does It Really Mean to Be AI-First? 21:39 - AI Governance, Risk and the Fear of the Unknown 26:36 - Will AI Replace Employees or Make Them More Powerful? 31:20 - Shadow AI and the New Role of IT 48:34 - Experimentation, Failure and Psychological Safety 01:05:07 - Growth Mindset and the First-Year Chef If you're a CEO, CIO, CTO, technology leader, developer, entrepreneur, or business executive trying to understand how AI will reshape organizations, this conversation offers a practical and thought-provoking look at what comes next.
August 3 · 50 min
What A CEO Learned After Hitting $100M in Revenue! | David Karandish | Capacity
David Karandish, founder and CEO of Capacity, returns to Ten Thousand Miles to unpack how his company rocketed from $5M to over $100M in annual recurring revenue in just three and a half years. David breaks down the three (soon to be four) big bets that built Capacity: automating customer support with AI, raising capital outside the traditional VC path, and running a "compound startup" playbook — a strategy borrowed from Rippling's Parker Conrad — to build, partner, and acquire (19 acquisitions in 39 months) their way into an all-in-one customer experience platform. Vic and David dig into how founder-to-founder relationships and a reputation for closing deals fuel Capacity's M&A engine, how agentic coding unexpectedly solved the "impossible" problem of integrating 19 acquired companies, and why differentiated AI models — not one-size-fits-all LLMs — will define the next wave of AI economics. The conversation also covers AI's role in education, why "problem describing, selecting, and solving" should never be collapsed into one step, how Capacity thinks about competition when everyone claims to be an AI company, and what inning we're really in when it comes to enterprise AI adoption. Chapters 00:00 – Welcome Back: David Karandish Returns 01:16 – From $5M to $100M ARR: The Three Big Bets 05:05 – The Compound Startup Playbook (Parker Conrad's Framework) 12:23 – How Capacity Finds, Diligences, and Closes Acquisitions 20:15 – Agentic Coding: The Hidden Unlock for M&A Integration 25:42 – Token Costs, Model Economics, and the Future of Compute 42:20 – AI in Education, Work, and the "Agents Everywhere" Bet 52:33 – Competing on the Oval: Problem-Solving Framework and What's Next Guest: David Karandish, Founder & CEO of Capacity, previously founder of Answers.com
July 27 · 1 hr 8 min
Scaling Through Recessions, AI, and Everything Else That Goes Wrong
CEO Interview - What does it really take to grow a company from $6 million to more than $100 million in revenue? Leadership... In this episode of Ten Thousand Miles, Vic Pepe sits down with Josh Gould - CEO of The Big Word, investor, and entrepreneur who has spent decades building and scaling businesses through recessions, wars, AI disruption, and private equity ownership. Josh shares the unfiltered realities of entrepreneurship: why failure is the norm, how resilience beats brilliance, and why the companies that survive aren't always the prettiest—they're the ones built like cockroaches. The conversation dives into scaling, private equity, AI, leadership, difficult decisions, and the mindset required to build businesses that can withstand almost anything. Along the way, Josh offers practical lessons on hiring, innovation, and why having fun may be one of the most underrated business strategies of all. Whether you're a founder, executive, investor, or aspiring entrepreneur, this episode is packed with hard-earned wisdom from someone who's lived every lesson he shares. In this episode: - Growing a company from $6M to $100M+ - Why most entrepreneurial decisions fail—and why that's okay - The "cockroach" philosophy for building resilient businesses - Lessons from surviving multiple waves of AI disruption - What it's really like selling to private equity - Build vs. buy: making smarter technology decisions - Hiring leaders who complement your weaknesses - Why entrepreneurship is both freedom and sacrifice - The overlooked importance of having fun while building something meaningful Chapters 00:00 Welcome to Episode 120 & Meet Josh Gould 03:26 The Mission That Has Driven Josh's Entire Career 09:42 Why Failure Is the Real Path to Entrepreneurial Success 19:14 Scaling from $6M to $100M Through Constant Reinvention 29:39 Selling to Private Equity: What Every Founder Should Know 47:00 AI, Automation, and the Future of Business 01:12:31 Lightning Round: Leadership Lessons, Hiring, and Why You Should Never Forget to Have Fun https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuadgould?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_ios https://youtube.com/@exec_craft?si=pZ-kiXjXXgsFn69r https://www.instagram.com/execcraft?igsh=YzNtbGR5bmg5OHNo https://en-us.thebigword.com/
July 20 · 1 hr 15 min
This Is What Reinvention Really Looks Like! | Lori "ICE" Fetrick
See how a former Gladiators star handles public criticism. Learn how she pivots from being mocked to turning that attention into profit.In this candid Gladiators interview, we sit down to discuss the reality of life after the show. Many public figures face ridicule online, but this conversation explores a different approach: embracing the attention rather than fighting it. If you have ever wondered how to shift your mindset when people are laughing at you, this discussion offers a practical perspective on taking control of your own narrative.We cover the challenges of public perception and the specific moment of clarity that led to this change in strategy. By dealing with criticism head-on, the guest explains why choosing to monetize the memes was the smartest business decision they could make. This is a must-watch for anyone interested in personal branding and the realities of modern media fame. Subscribe for weekly media and entertainment breakdowns, and tell us in the comments if you would do the same in their position. 00:00 Meet Lori “ICE” Fetrick: The Queen of Reinvention 03:17 From San Bernardino Athlete to Bodybuilder 13:32 Auditioning for American Gladiators 23:40 Fame, Madison Square Garden, and Life Behind the Scenes 26:31 Muscles & Mayhem and What Happened After Gladiators 34:10 The Hustle Years, Failure, Fear, and Reinvention 47:02 Staying Relevant and Unapologetically Yourself at 63 53:13 OnlyFans, Fitness, Longevity, and What Comes Next https://lorifetrick.com/ https://www.instagram.com/lori.ice.fetrick/ https://www.facebook.com/Lori.Fetrick.Ice/ https://x.com/LoriIceFetrick https://www.youtube.com/@UC8JWfhbLQ_2MCMAUBeHqaQA https://onlyfans.com/Lorifetrick
July 13 · 1 hr 8 min
Strength, Discipline, Legacy! | Josh Holyfield
Josh Holyfield discusses the realities of building a legacy and the discipline required to sustain it. Get a raw look at his personal story and the specific mindset shifts needed for long-term growth. This session explores the journey behind the Josh Holyfield brand, moving past standard interview surface-level questions. We examine the foundational experiences that prepared him for his current trajectory and analyze the practical steps he takes to maintain daily consistency. This is for listeners who want to understand the rigorous work ethic that drives high-level performance. By examining his personal philosophy, you will gain a clearer picture of how to handle professional friction. We break down the specific mental hurdles Josh Holyfield faced and how his approach to obstacles has evolved over time. If you are looking for actionable insights on discipline, this conversation provides a blueprint for applying those lessons to your own path. Chapters 00:00 – Meet Josh Holyfield: Reinvention Through Service 06:00 – From Homelessness to the U.S. Military 13:00 – Iraq, Afghanistan, and Finding Purpose Under Pressure 20:00 – Obedience vs. Discipline: The Lesson That Changed Everything 28:00 – Heartbreak, Identity, and Reinventing Himself 36:00 – Building a $15 Million Business by Serving First 46:00 – The Truth About Health, Hormones, and Lasting Transformation 56:00 – Life Lessons, Legacy, and Becoming the Man You Were Meant to Be
July 7 · 46 min
The Career Secret Every Successful Person Knows at 20
This episode features a candid conversation between the host and Alexa Palermo. If you are a fan of the show or interested in the journey behind this specific podcast, this episode provides direct insight into the themes being explored. Throughout the interview, Alexa Palermo shares her experiences while the host guides the dialogue to ensure a comprehensive overview. Whether you are catching up on previous episodes or just finding the 10000 Miles podcast for the first time, this session highlights key moments that define the current season. This is a must-watch for those who appreciate a focused podcast interview that gets straight to the point. Subscribe for weekly 10000 Miles podcast updates and leave a comment sharing your favorite moment from this interview. Alexa Palermo, Channel Manager at Vonage, joins Ten Thousand Miles to share how she broke into channel sales in her 20s, built confidence through imposter syndrome, and uses AI (ChatGPT, Claude) to boost productivity in tech sales. A must-watch for anyone starting a career in IT channel sales. Chapters: 00:00 – Cold open 00:58 – 117 episodes in: the mission behind Ten Thousand Miles 03:26 – Alexa introduces herself 04:13 – Why the channel builds stronger relationships 05:16 – Alexa's first channel job at Procure IT 09:44 – What really attracted her to channel sales 12:03 – The "unfair advantage" of growing up in the industry 14:13 – Biggest misconceptions about tech sales 17:09 – The dinner in Texas that changed everything 20:20 – Overcoming imposter syndrome 24:54 – Mentors who shaped her career (Chris Fury, Kristy Thomas, Marina Kay) 29:23 – Mistakes, rejection, and learning to wait your turn 37:00 – How AI (ChatGPT, Claude) is changing careers for young professionals 42:00 – Rapid fire: success, leadership & advice for young pros 44:06 – Why the channel needs more women 46:39 – Final takeaway & closing Please Comment, Like, Share, and Subscribe!
June 29 · 1 hr 12 min
Success Isn't Enough! | Dave Guttman
Learn entrepreneur mentorship strategies from Dave Gutman. Discover practical business advice and founder lessons for your next venture. This episode sits down with Dave Gutman, a seasoned founder, speaker, and startup investor. We discuss his approach to building businesses and the core principles that guide his professional journey. Whether you are scaling a company or just starting out, his insights on entrepreneurship tips provide a clear roadmap for navigating common industry challenges. Throughout our conversation, Dave breaks down the realities of being a founder in today's market. He shares honest perspectives on mentorship and investment that helped shape his career. This discussion is designed for anyone looking to refine their business strategy and understand the mindset required for long-term growth. Chapters: 00:00 – Welcome to Ten Thousand Miles with Dave Guttman 01:20 – Early Life, Wrestling, Entrepreneurship, and Lessons from Failure 07:39 – Learning Business Through Search Funds, Mentors, and Acquisitions 20:29 – Defining Moments, Dyslexia, Brown, Wharton, and Life’s Turning Points 28:17 – The Cancer Misdiagnosis That Changed Everything 39:32 – Fundraising, Building Sellable Companies, and the Anti-MBA Philosophy 59:20 – AI, Lifelong Learning, Success, Leadership, and Final Lessons Subscribe for stories and business breakdowns, and comment below with which specific entrepreneurship topic you want us to cover next. Please Comment, Like, Share, and Subscribe!
June 22 · 1 hr
My LinkedIn Strategy for Massive Growth! | Denise Panza
What does it take to close a $2.9 million loan with a doctor you've never met — in a state you're not even licensed in yet — all because of a letterboard and a LinkedIn post? Denise Panza has done it. Repeatedly. Denise is a 30-year mortgage veteran, licensed in 20 states, and one of the most authentic personal brand builders in the financial services industry. In this return appearance on Ten Thousand Miles, Denise and host Vic Pepe pull back the curtain on how she went from Facebook mom to LinkedIn powerhouse — and how her social media presence has fundamentally transformed her loan production, her reach, and the lives of the families she serves. This isn't a fluffy "post more content" conversation. Denise gets real about what actually works, what mortgage professionals are doing wrong on social media, how she handles compliance in a heavily regulated industry, and why she answers her phone at 11 PM — not because she has to, but because she genuinely loves what she does. Whether you're in mortgages, real estate, sales, or just trying to build a personal brand that actually converts — this episode is loaded with practical wisdom and a few laughs along the way. Subscribe to Ten Thousand Miles for new episodes every Monday. Hosted by Vic Pepe | Author of "The RFP Is Dead" and "The Lucky 13" CONNECT WITH DENISE PANZA: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denisepanza/ — follow her letterboard game in real time • Apply Online: askmortgagegal.com CONNECT WITH VIC PEPE & TEN THOUSAND MILES: • LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/vicpepe • D&M Enterprise Group: dmenterprise.net ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ CHAPTERS ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 00:00 – Welcome Back: Denise Panza Returns to Ten Thousand Miles 01:18 – Why LinkedIn Changed Everything for Denise's Mortgage Business 03:35 – From Facebook to LinkedIn: How She Found Her Platform 06:25 – The Letterboard Signature and Building an Authentic Brand 09:06 – What Skeptics Said — and Why She Did It Anyway 09:44 – The 99-Year-Old WWII Veteran She Met on a Plane (and What It Taught Her About LinkedIn) 16:00 – Consistency Over Virality: The Long Game of Social Media 25:55 – Why Most Mortgage Pros Are Posting the Wrong Content 32:14 – How a LinkedIn Post Turned a Stranger Into a $2.9M Loan Client 34:40 – Every Loan Type, Every Client: Why Denise Doesn't Pick a Niche 36:23 – No Boundaries, No Problem: Answering Calls at 11 PM 38:43 – Retirement Is Not in Her Vocabulary (and Why She's Right) 47:41 – The Algorithm Nobody Can Predict — Including Vic 51:14 – Rapid Fire: Best Post Ever, Worst Habits on Social, and the Compliance Question 54:29 – The Closing Story That Still Gives Her Chills 57:46 – Celebrate Yourself: Open That Bottle of Camus ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ KEYWORDS & TOPICS COVERED ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ mortgage loan officer LinkedIn strategy | personal branding for mortgage professionals | social media for real estate and lending | how to get mortgage clients on LinkedIn | mortgage sales tips 2025 | authentic content creation | loan officer marketing | jumbo loans | reverse mortgages | first-time home buyers | mortgage compliance and social media | building a brand in a regulated industry | LinkedIn growth strategy | mortgage industry podcast | sales mindset | work-life balance in sales | storytelling in sales | female entrepreneurs in finance | Ten Thousand Miles podcast | Vic Pepe podcast Please Comment, Like, Share, and Subscribe! #shorts #shortsfeed #podcast #leaders #stories #podcast #courage #business #Success #Leadership #Motivation #Inspiration #SelfImprovement #PersonalDevelopment #GoalSetting #Mindset #Entrepreneurship #BusinessSuccess #LifeGoals #PositiveThinking #AchieveYourGoals #SuccessMindset #LeadershipSkills #MotivationalQuotes #SuccessTips #LeadershipDevelopment #InspirationalVideos #SuccessStories #money #life #rockandroll #music #CEO #COO #CFO #CAO #nextjob #goodtimes #success
June 15 · 1 hr 8 min
The Hidden Opportunity Most People Never See | Anna Stallman
We're back with another episode of Ten Thousand Miles, and today I'm incredibly lucky to sit down with Anna Stallmann, founder of Ascent Strategic Communications. Whether you're a CEO trying to build influence, a founder considering a rebrand, or a professional wondering if you should start a podcast — this episode is for you. CHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome and Introduction to Anna Stallmann 05:00 From the U.S. Senate to the Department of Defense 16:00 Launching Ascent Strategic Communications 19:00 The First 90 Days of Entrepreneurship 26:00 Strategy Over Noise 33:00 Should You Start a Podcast? 40:00 The Rebrand 44:00 People First Leadership 51:00 Personal Brand vs. Company Brand 58:00 Rapid Fire KEY TAKEAWAYS * The most underrated communication move: know your white space — the message only YOU can deliver * Visibility is not influence. Influence is built through trust, discipline, and messengers * "Plans are worthless, but planning is everything." — General Eisenhower * Be famous internally first — with your family, your team, your community * Hard work ethic still builds the best leaders. Fame that is earned lasts * It doesn't matter what you say. It matters what people hear GUEST RESOURCES Ascent Strategic Communications: https://ascentcomms.com/ Book Recommendation: Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath #StrategicCommunications #PersonalBranding #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #TenThousandMilesPodcast #PublicRelations #CEOBranding #WhiteSpace #CommunicationsStrategy #PodcastInterview Please Comment, Like, Share, and Subscribe! Guest: Anna Stallmann
June 8 · 46 min
AI First Enterprise: See Everything & Know Everything
What does it actually look like when a CIO walks into a 20-year-old technology organization and turns it AI-first in under 12 months — without shutting anything down? In Part 3 of the Sage Tech series on Ten Thousand Miles, Vic Pepe sits down with Corey Kirspel, a transformational CIO in the healthcare technology space. This is not theory. This is a boots-on-the-ground account of one of the most compelling enterprise modernization stories in the AI era. Corey walked into a private equity portfolio company three years into a five-year hold — facing a 12-million-line legacy code base, a $2M cost reduction mandate, tribal knowledge locked inside a handful of people, and a board demanding an AI-first strategy. Here is what happened next. What you'll learn: * Why Claude, Copilot, and Cursor weren't enough alone — and what Corey layered on top * How Sage Tech mapped 12 million lines of legacy code in 48 hours — architecture, vulnerabilities, and evergreen documentation included * The one-engineer experiment that turned skeptics into believers — a five-month project done in six weeks * How $1.2M in annual infrastructure savings was unlocked in three months without a ground-up rewrite * The SDLC operating model shift that took a team from 100 lines of code per day to 10,000 * What the first 90 days of AI transformation actually looks like — and how to justify the ROI fast Whether you are a CIO, CTO, PE operating partner, or business leader trying to move from talking about AI to executing it — this episode is required listening. Chapters: 00:00 — Welcome and guest introduction 02:00 — The CIO's real job in the AI era 03:53 — Walking into a PE portco with a 20-year-old code base 05:25 — Why Claude, Cursor, and Copilot weren't enough alone 08:15 — Discovering Sage Tech and the virtual architect model 12:04 — Breaking free from tribal knowledge and key-man dependency 19:34 — The product leader who thought she knew her own system 22:04 — The one-engineer experiment that changed everything 33:49 — From one engineer to eight Scrum teams — the rollout strategy 42:01 — First 90 days and a message for anyone still waiting Connect: * Sage Tech AI: https://www.sage-tech.ai * Subscribe for new episodes every week Keywords: enterprise AI transformation, CIO strategy, legacy code modernization, AI-first enterprise, Sage Tech AI, software modernization, technical debt, private equity portco, healthcare technology, SDLC AI integration, CIO podcast, technology leadership, AI tools for developers, code base analysis, digital transformation ROI
June 1 · 39 min
Is This AI a Real Game Changer?
Join us as we sit down with Bruce Henderson, CTO of Sage-Tech.ai, to get an in-depth look at their platform and the #technology driving it. This conversation provides valuable insights into the technical operations and #leadership involved in their enterprise #aistrategy. Stay updated with the latest AI news and gain a deeper understanding of how AI is explained in practical applications. Bruce built his career maintaining, upgrading, and retiring the massive legacy systems that sit at the heart of the global economy. In this conversation, he pulls back the curtain on how Sage Tech actually works — from the queryable context graph and cognitive model to the AI inference layer, ephemeral environments, and why vector RAG failed them before they built something better. This is one of the most technically honest conversations about enterprise AI you will hear anywhere. No hype. No sales pitch. Just a veteran engineer telling you exactly what works, what does not, and what every CTO needs to understand before 2030. Learn more about Sage Tech: https://sage-tech.ai Miss Part 1? Watch the business track with Deepak Sharma here: [link] CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction — Why Bruce Built Sage Tech 04:01 From Code to Knowledge — The Pivot That Changed Everything 08:07 The Queryable Context Graph Explained 10:15 Why Vector RAG Failed and What Replaced It 14:03 How the Graph Gets Built From a Real Code Base 17:14 Outputs, Documentation, and Self-Service Intelligence 24:04 Scaling From 500K to 15 Million Lines of Code 28:44 Ephemeral Environments and the Future of AI Coding LIGHTNING ROUND 38:33 Most Overrated Thing in Enterprise AI 39:16 The Underrated Risk Nobody Is Talking About (De-skilling) 40:09 Bruce's Favorite Tool Most People Have Never Heard Of 41:12 What He Would Do Differently Building Sage From Scratch 42:42 The One Thing Most CTOs Still Do Not Believe About AI in 2026 Subscribe so you never miss an episode. Please Like, Comment, Share, and Subscribe We sit down with Bruce Henderson, CTO of Sage-Tech.ai, for an in-depth discussion on their platform and its core technology . This episode offers key insights into technical operations and the enterprise ai strategy driving their work. Discover how their innovation is shaping the future of AI.

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