The Chris Voss Show Podcast – Elie Y. Katz Talks NRS Innovations for Small Retail Success

National Retail Solutions Offers Innovative Solutions for Independent Retailers NRSplus.com Show Notes About the Guest(s): Elie Y. Katz is the President and CEO of National Retail Solutions (NRS) Plus. With over seven years of experience in the industry, Katz has brought his expertise as an executive in various companies to found NRS. NRS operates the leading point-of-sale terminal-based platform and NRS Pay with credit card processing for independent retailers. With over 27,000 active POS terminals in stores nationwide, NRS provides solutions to help independent retailers compete in the market. Episode Summary: In this episode of The Chris Voss Show, host Chris Voss interviews Elie Y. Katz, the President and CEO of National Retail Solutions (NRS) Plus. Katz shares the story of how NRS was founded and the mission behind the company’s offerings. He discusses the challenges faced by independent convenience store owners and how NRS provides them with the technology and insights to compete in the market. Katz also highlights the importance of clean and transparent credit card processing for small businesses. Additionally, he introduces NRS’s innovative panic alarm system embedded in their point-of-sale registers, designed to enhance the safety and security of store owners. Katz concludes by discussing NRS’s partnerships and future plans to continue improving their product offerings. Key Takeaways: NRS provides independent convenience store owners with a point-of-sale register that offers digital coupon products, credit card processing, and other features to help them compete in the market. NRS’s credit card processing solution, NRS Pay, offers a clean and transparent rate with no long-term contracts or hidden fees. The panic alarm system embedded in NRS’s point-of-sale registers silently alerts the police in case of emergencies, providing a sense of security for store owners. NRS has partnered with companies like Strata Select, MS Energy Technologies, and Source One Digital Team to offer additional solutions and services to their customers. NRS is committed to continuously improving their product offerings and providing support to independent retailers in various industries. Notable Quotes: “We created the world’s greatest point-of-sale register for these independent, convenient liquor tobacco stores.” – Elie Y. Katz “Our point-of-sale register offers clean and transparent credit card processing with no hidden fees.” – Elie Y. Katz “The panic alarm system gives store owners a sense of security and comfort, knowing that help is just a button away.” – Elie Y. Katz “We partner with reputable companies to offer additional solutions and services to our customers, such as signage and canopies for gas stations.” – Elie Y. Katz “Our goal is to level the playing field for independent retailers and provide them with the tools they need to succeed.” – Elie Y. Katz

5 Mar 202424min

Stone of Love (Stones of Iona) by Margaret Izard https://amzn.to/3SZx8Zb Book 1 of 1: Stones of Iona After leaving her abusive ex, American scholar Brielle DeVolt embarks on a career-changing opportunity, the renovation of Laird Colin MacDougall’s Chapel ruin. The attractive, broad-shouldered Laird leaves her weak-kneed, but can she trust herself to love again? Dusted in construction dirt, the curvy beauty in his study captivates Colin. As Brielle steps to the window, her brunette tresses halo in the sunlight, and he sees her as his dream soul mate. When he learns his hereditary duty is safeguarding magic Fae stones, all he wants is to protect Brielle from the evil forces of the Fae. Traveling to the past to assume his forefather’s identity and find a missing magic stone is challenging enough. When Brielle appears, an undeniable attraction to his ancestor ignites, causing her confused passion. Faced with fighting an evil Fae to save the realms, Colin must choose between saving the stone or saving his love. About the author Margaret Izard is an award-winning author of historical fantasy and paranormal romance novels. She spent her early years through college to adulthood dedicated to dance, theater, and performing. Over the years, she developed a love for great storytelling in different mediums. She does not waste a good story, be it movement, the spoken, or the written word. She discovered historical romance novels in middle school, which combined her desire for romance, drama, and fantasy. She writes exciting plot lines, steamy love scenes and always falls for a strong male with a soft heart. She lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband and adult triplets and loves to hear from readers.

4 Mar 202424min

The Band A Novel By Christine Ma-Kellams https://amzn.to/4c1IzYY “This could very well be the first great K-Pop literary phenomenon.” —Debutiful, Most Anticipated Books of 2024 Perfect for fans of Mouth to Mouth and Black Buck, this whip-smart, darkly funny, and biting debut follows a psychologist with a savior complex who offers shelter to a recently cancelled K-pop idol on the run. Sang Duri is the eldest member and “visual” of a Korean boy band at the apex of global superstardom. But when his latest solo single accidentally leads to controversy, he’s abruptly cancelled. To spare the band from fallout with obsessive fans and overbearing management, Duri disappears from the public eye by hiding out in the McMansion of a Chinese American woman he meets in a Los Angeles H-Mart. But his rescuer is both unhappily married with children and a psychologist with a savior complex, a combination that makes their potential union both seductive and incredibly problematic. Meanwhile, Duri’s cancellation catapults not only a series of repressed memories from his music producer’s earlier years about the original girl group whose tragic disbanding preceded his current success, but also a spiral of violent interactions that culminates in an award show event with reverberations that forever change the fates of both the band members and the music industry. In its indicting portrayal of mental health and public obsession, fandom, and cancel culture, The Band considers the many ways in which love and celebrity can devolve into something far more sinister when their demands are unmet. Christine Ma-Kellams is a Harvard-trained cultural psychologist, Pushcart-nominated fiction writer, and first-generation American. Her work and writing have appeared in HuffPost, Chicago Tribune, Catapult, Salon, The Wall Street Journal, The Rumpus, and much more. The Band is her first novel. You can find her in person at one of California’s coastal cities or online at ChristineMa-Kellams.com.

3 Mar 202424min

Elite Entrepreneurship and Networking Strategies with Scott Joseph & Me Plus Ultra Meplusultra.com Show Notes About the Guest(s): Scott Joseph is an elite entrepreneurship and networking strategist. He is the CEO and founder of ME Plus Ultra, a platform that brings together thought leaders and disruptors to exchange groundbreaking ideas and strategies. Scott has a background in digital marketing and has successfully built and sold multiple businesses, including a direct mail agency and car dealerships. With ME Plus Ultra, Scott focuses on connecting people and fostering collaboration to drive business breakthroughs and personal growth. Episode Summary: In this episode of The Chris Voss Show, host Chris Voss interviews Scott Joseph, the CEO and founder of ME Plus Ultra. Scott shares his journey as an entrepreneur and discusses the importance of networking and building meaningful connections. He talks about his experience in the car dealership industry and how it led him to start ME Plus Ultra. Scott explains how ME Plus Ultra is not just a mastermind group, but a community where high-growth entrepreneurs, c-suite executives, and industry innovators come together to share expertise and achieve their goals. He also highlights the unique format of his Business Bourbon and Cigars leadership retreats, which combine working sessions with networking opportunities. Throughout the conversation, Scott emphasizes the value of collaboration, accountability, and continuous learning in business development. Key Takeaways: ME Plus Ultra is a platform that connects thought leaders and disruptors to exchange groundbreaking ideas and strategies. Scott Joseph’s journey as an entrepreneur started in the car dealership industry, where he built and sold multiple businesses. ME Plus Ultra focuses on bringing together high-growth entrepreneurs, c-suite executives, and industry innovators to foster collaboration and achieve business breakthroughs. The Business Bourbon and Cigars leadership retreats organized by ME Plus Ultra provide a unique format that combines working sessions with networking opportunities. Scott emphasizes the importance of building meaningful relationships, continuous learning, and accountability in business development. Notable Quotes: “I enjoy connecting people, especially if they’ve got a diverse skillset, great vision. Doing those introductions, watching that magic work where they either discover some type of new business opportunity or some type of breakthrough.” – Scott Joseph “I’ve learned that relationships and networking are key to business success. The connections I’ve made through ME Plus Ultra have opened up new business opportunities and allowed me to learn from some of the brightest minds in the industry.” – Scott Joseph

2 Mar 202431min

How to Walk into a Room: The Art of Knowing When to Stay and When to Walk Away by Emily P. Freeman https://amzn.to/3P1EiuU If life were a house, then every room holds a story. What do we do when a room we’re in is no longer a room where we belong? What do you do when you start to feel a shift and must decide if it’s time to make a change? When it comes to navigating big decisions about when to stay and go, how can we know for sure when the time is right? Though we enter and exit many rooms over the course of our life—jobs, relationships, communities, life stages—knowing how and when it’s time to leave is a decision that rarely has a clear answer. Podcast host, spiritual director, and bestselling author of The Next Right Thing, Emily P. Freeman offers guidance to help us recognize when it’s time to move on from situations that no longer fit, allowing us to find new spaces where we can flourish and grow. How to Walk Into a Room helps us begin to uncover the silent, nuanced, and hidden arrows for anyone asking questions like: How do I know if it’s time to move on? What if I stay and nothing changes? What if I leave and everything falls apart? Through thought-provoking questions, spiritual practices, and personal stories, How to Walk into a Room will help you to know and name the caution flags in your current spaces, discern the difference between true peace and discomfort avoidance, navigate endings even when there is no closure, find peace for when you feel ready but it isn’t time, and courage for when it’s time but you don’t feel ready. For anyone standing in a threshold, here’s a book to help discern the how, when, and what now of walking out of rooms and into new ones with peace, confidence, and a whole heart. About the author Emily P. Freeman is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of five books, including The Next Right Thing: A Simple, Soulful Practice for Making Life Decisions. As a spiritual director, workshop leader, and host of The Next Right Thing podcast, her most important work is to help create soul space and offer spiritual companionship and discernment for anyone struggling with decision fatigue. Emily holds a master’s degree in spiritual formation and leadership from Friends University. She lives in North Carolina with her family.

1 Mar 202434min

Move to Millions: The Proven Framework to Become a Million Dollar CEO with Grace & Ease Instead of Hustle & Grind by Dr. Darnyelle Jervey Harmon Drdarnyelle.com https://amzn.to/3SXHxEL Ready to break through the six-figure plateau? Discover an actionable strategy to cross over the million-dollar milestone with grace and ease. Honorary PhD and award-winning Inc. 5000 CEO Dr. Darnyelle Jervey Harmon has used her seven-figure coaching enterprise to help hundreds of her clients leverage the Move to Millions® Method and move closer to and beyond the million-dollar mark. In Move to Millions, she shares her paradigm-shifting truths to give business owners the confidence and step-by-step techniques to advance beyond the messy middle and defy the statistics plaguing most small businesses. Part memoir and part methodology, Move to Millions helps entrepreneurs simplify their processes to multiply profits, by breaking down complex topics and illustrating their worth through raw personal anecdotes. Dr. Harmon puts in the work so business owners can be empowered, entertained, and equipped to leave the headaches behind and enjoy everything that truly matters, without compromising on their values in the process.

29 Feb 202430min

Ask: Tap Into the Hidden Wisdom of People Around You for Unexpected Breakthroughs In Leadership and Life by Jeff Wetzler https://amzn.to/3UWL5cT Globally recognized expert on learning and leadership, Jeff Wetzler offers a hands-on, surprisingly effective way to find out what others really think, know, and feel. Ask leads to smarter decisions, more creative solutions, and deeper relationships. Too often, we don’t find out what’s truly on others’ hearts and minds because we don’t know how to ask the right questions in the right ways. Co-founder of Transcend and former international business consultant and Teach for America executive Jeff Wetzler wants to show you how to fix that. In Ask, he brings you a powerful method called The Ask Approach™, based on a simple premise: that tapping into what other people truly think, know, and feel is a game-changing superpower. In Section I, Wetzler reveals the most common things that people think and feel but often keep to themselves, as well as the key reasons why they choose to withhold information that could be valuable to you and your organization. Section II delves into the five steps of the Ask Approach, each answering an essential question: Choose Curiosity: How can you awaken your curiosity to make new discoveries and unexpected connections? Make it Safe: How do you make it easier for people to tell you hard things? Pose Quality Questions: What questions will best tap into the wisdom of anyone you ask? Listen to Learn: How can you hear what someone is really trying to tell you? Reflect & Reconnect: How do you turn talk into action? Section III helps you make asking an everyday superpower – not only for yourself but also for your team and organization, as well as for the next generation and society at large. The skills and messages of Ask could not be more timely. In a fast-changing world where AI is supplanting an increasing range of skills, the ability to learn from and connect with other people is one of the most important, fulfilling and uniquely human capabilities to master.

28 Feb 202444min

Nicole Reznic Discusses the Integration of Web3 in CRM and Luxury Marketing Zernica.com Show Notes About the Guest(s): Nicole Reznic is an expert in impact CRM and CX in the luxury industry. With over two decades of experience in the luxury market, digital transformation, and CRM leadership, Nicole has honed her skills in customer engagement and brand management. She has worked with prestigious institutions such as Tiffany and Company and Christie’s Auction House. Nicole’s passion for innovation led her to explore the digital landscape, where she spearheaded digital migration projects and optimized customer-centric data models for renowned brands like Upfield and Abium. She is currently teaching CRM and the evolving digital landscape at a university in Paris. Nicole is also the founder of Zenica, a consulting company that helps businesses integrate Web3 principles into their customer experience strategies. Episode Summary: In this episode, host Chris Voss interviews Nicole Reznic, an expert in impact CRM and CX in the luxury industry. Nicole shares her insights on the evolving role of CRM in the age of digital transformation and Web3 technologies. She explains how CRM must adapt to meet the changing needs of customers who are increasingly online. Nicole also delves into the concept of Web3 and its potential to revolutionize customer experiences through decentralization and blockchain technology. She highlights the importance of leveraging data analytics to enhance customer experiences and provides examples of how she has done so in her previous roles. The episode concludes with a discussion on the integration of AI with Web3 and blockchain and its potential to drive efficiency and personalization in customer interactions. Key Takeaways: CRM must evolve to meet the needs of customers who are increasingly online and engage with brands through digital channels. Web3 technologies, such as blockchain, offer a decentralized and transparent way of interacting with customers, allowing for greater trust and interconnection. Data analytics plays a crucial role in enhancing customer experiences by providing personalized offers and recommendations based on customer behaviors. Luxury marketing differs from regular marketing in terms of mindset and the emphasis on craftsmanship, limited supply, and the perception of value. AI is an efficient optimization tool that can automate processes and provide personalized customer interactions based on data analysis. Notable Quotes: “CRM has to evolve with the way that people are living. Customers are increasingly online, and brands need to meet them where they are.” – Nicole Reznic “Web3 is about creating a more communal way for people to interact online. It is based on blockchain technology, which offers transparency, trust, and interconnection.” – Nicole Reznic “With data analytics, we can make personalized offers to customers based on their behaviors, rather than relying on traditional demographics.” – Nicole Reznic “Luxury marketing is about creating a unique and premium experience for customers. It is not about competing with other brands but offering something that is truly exceptional.” – Nicole Reznic “AI is like having a group of 40 people doing the same thing at the same time. It automates processes and provides efficient optimization.” – Nicole Reznic

28 Feb 202435min