Take A Bow For the New Revolution:  If Peter Marsh Had His Way, Manufacturing (And the “Three C’s”) Will Lead the U.S. and the “Old Economies” Back to Global Economic Prominence
_____________________________________________________________________

When historians look back at the period known widely as  “The Industrial Revolution”, they note that period as a time that took the American economy, and other economies around the globe, including Great Britain, Germany, and Japan, to a whole new level.   Inventors developed new ways to manufacture mass quantities of product at once, and business skyrocketed as a result.   Conventional wisdom had dictated that there was no turning back from the progress that lay ahead.

Until the inevitable happened, and, as many were quick to note, economic complacency set in.   Faced with rising costs across the board, struggling American companies had begun to look for ways they can cut costs, and one of the chief targets was what had been the bell cow for many decades: manufacturing.   Why continue to produce things here, they thought, when it would be cheaper to produce these same items in places like China and India, where the cost of labor is far less than it is domestically?

So they did.   And what seemed like a good idea for the businesses that used this strategy turned out to be an unmitigated disaster for manufacturing in the U.S., and other markets that relied heavily on manufacturing for their health and growth.  The sector has taken a significant hit over the past few years, with seemingly no sustainable end in sight.

Enter Peter Marsh.   The former longtime Manufacturing Editor for the Financial TImes has spent decades honing his craft on a global scale, keeping a keen eye on how manufacturing has evolved, not only in the “old economies”, but in the emerging “BRIC” countries as well.

He sees hope for the countries that have had felt the manufacturing pinch in recent years, but the answer to their problems lies in one critical word:

Adaptation

Peter also cites three other significant factors that are key to the success of the manufacturing sector, alliterative concepts that he dubs “The Three C’s”:  Connections, Creativity, and Customization.

In 2012, Peter laid his ideas out in “The New Industrial Revolution: Consumers, Globalization, and the End of Mass Production”, which has become a must read for not only anybody IN the manufacturing industry, but anybody who is trying to wrap his or her head around what it takes to turn this behemoth around.  Peter discusses how the “Old Economy” and the “New Economy” can work together to fill each others’ needs, and how dialing back from mass production in order to customize output is the blueprint for success.

On this edition of “The Raja Show”, Peter joins Raja live from Great Britain to discuss what “The New Industrial Revolution” means, and what companies across the globe can do to capitalize on the trend to “go small”.

A Cut Above: How Sport Clips Founder Gordon Logan’s Attention To An Overlooked Market Share Spurred One of the Country’s Top Franchises
_____________________________________________________________________

It stands to reason that when you make a living in the financial planning industry, you gain plenty of insights into potentially lucrative trends over a wide swath of industries.

For Gordon Logan, those insights came via a Wall Street Journal article about the hair care industry.  Seeing some of the changes there were coming, he rode the wave by purchasing a franchise in a popular salon chain in the Houston market.

But while things were going well, and business was growing, Logan couldn’t help but notice an obvious deficiency in the customer base…..

Namely, men.

Logan set about to find a way to get what was essentially half of his target customer base on board with what he was doing.   Through extensive market research, he found that, by and large, men still wanted the camaraderie found in traditional barber shops (long recognized as a haven where guys could be guys), but were somewhat leery of the quality of the final product, which varied from shop to shop.

Armed with the knowledge that men generally wanted a male-intensive user experience akin to a barber shop, but also the quality haircut that one can find in a salon, Logan revamped his salon to cater to these exact needs.

Locker-room atmosphere? Check.

Multiple TV’s, all showing sports, throughout the place?  Check.

Friendly, energetic hair stylists trained to know the best way to cut a man’s head of hair?  Check.

And so, in 1995, Sport Clips was born.

Since its inception, Sport Clips, much like the hair that that the company specializes in cutting, has grown and grown, to the point where it ranks among high atop Entrepreneur Magazine’s list of Top 500 franchises for 2015., placing 36th overall, and second in the hair care industry.

Not bad for a business that almost exclusively targets what had previously been a disenfranchised market sector.   And all because Gordon Logan decided to think differently from the norm.

On today’s edition of “The Raja Show”, Gordon Logan discusses his story with Raja, including an in-depth look at why he decided to zig when the rest of the growing industry in which he was a part chose to zag.    He’ll talk about the importance of taking risks, managing growth, staying humble, and putting the customer first every step of the way.

For Terry Jones, The Man Who Revolutionized the Travel Industry, The Road To Success For YOUR Business Lies In Just One Word:  Innovate!
_____________________________________________________________________

If you’re old enough to remember life BEFORE the internet, think of all of the ways that the internet has changed the way you do everyday things.

Amazon and Ebay changed the way you shop.

TV news sites such as CNN and Fox News  changed the way you receive news and information, while the blogosphere changed the way you receive opinion.

Netflix and Hulu changed the way you watch TV,

Match and eHarmony changed the way you meet your significant other.

Travelocity changed the way you travel.

Specifically, Terry Jones changed the way you travel.   Jones had been a longtime I.T. Executive for SABRE, the technology developed under the watchful eye of longtime American Airlines executive (and former Raja Show guest) Bob Crandall that provided travel agencies with a computerized method by which they could book travel and lodging arrangements for clients.

In 1996, with the idea of “Hey, why don’t we bring this technology to the people, eliminating the middleman (i.e. brick and mortar travel agency) in the process?” in their back pocket,  Jones led a spinoff effort from SABRE that provided end user travelers the technology to book travel arrangements on their own, using the internet.

The name:  Travelocity.

Since most regular web users in 2015 hit Travelocity as one of their first go-to’s when it comes to booking a vacation or a business trip, Travelocity had obviously been an instant success since Day One, right?

No.  Not even close.

Between some costly marketing mistakes early on (spending over $1 million…in 1996….on a marketing campaign based solely on CD-Roms featuring exotic destinations that bombed pretty much instantly) to reaching a public that wasn’t quite ready to make booking travel arrangements a D.I.Y. endeavor, Travelocity’s early foundation was built on very shaky ground, and SABRE was ready to pull the plug on the venture.

But Terry fought the good fight to keep Travelocity alive, in the name of innovation (and self preservation).   In the end, Travelocity, innovation, and Terry Jones came out on top.

Since the launch of Travelocity, Terry Jones has established himself as one of, if not THE, premier travel entrepreneurs in America.   He has also served as the Founding Chairman of another industry leader in online travel Kayak.com, and is the current  Chairman of Wayblazer.com,, a venture that further integrates the travel industry with the end-user customer experience.

Innovation has been the primary key to Terry Jones’ success, and for him, it is the single difference between a truly successful company, and what he calls “a PowerPoint deck that has raised money.”    Terry has gone all-in on the importance of innovation, writing a successful book, “On Innovation”, a primer that lays out, in Terry’s words, what exactly successful companies need to do to get ahead, and stay ahead, using innovation as the catalyst.

On this edition of “The Raja Show”, Terry joins Raja (a man who knows a thing or two about the importance of innovation himself) to discuss his remarkable career. Terry will also talk about the role that innovation played in the revolution of the travel industry, what’s next for the way we travel, and how, regardless of industry, you can use innovation right now to achieve your company’s goals.

Raja delivers keynote in “Here’s My Story XV” in conjunction with select group of Steelers including Coach Tomlin, Will Allen, Landry Jones, Ryan Shazier, Markus Weaton and others to a packed audience at Hard Rock Café.

You Say You Want A Revolution:  An Inside Look At What It Takes To Prepare a City For the Future, and the Enterprising High School Student Making It Happen
_____________________________________________________________________

When it comes to revolutions, the City of Pittsburgh seems like it’s front and center.  From the role that Fort Pitt played in the American Revolution through the City’s burgeoning steel industry fueling the Industrial Revolution, to its own revolution into one of the foremost hubs of “meds and eds” in the country, Pittsburgh has constantly been a place where change happens.

And if Shaan Fye has his way, it’s about to change again.

Fye’s accomplishments, including launching the Atlas Business Journal, a business news site geared towards Millenials, and securing the coveted license to produce TedX talks in the Pittsburgh area, belie the fact that he’s still in high school, as a Senior in Pittsburgh’s Shadyside Academy.

As a lifelong Pittsburgh resident, Fye sees what Pittsburgh is, and, more importantly, what it could be.  And, even as a teenager, he has made it his mission to do something about it.   Last year, he received a license from TED to produce a TEDx event, and through his hard work and dedication to raising awareness of what Pittsburgh can be, TEDxYouth@Shadyside will be a reality on Saturday, December 5, 2015.

The event, which takes place at the August Wilson Center in Pittsburgh, brings together many of the entrepreneurs, artists, and innovators who are hell-bent on taking the City of Pittsburgh on a whole new level.  (Among the many distinguished leaders who will be presenting at the event is a certain radio host who you could say is doing the same thing with his show., who will serve as the emcee for the proceedings).

This Sunday, Shaan Fye joins Raja to discuss the upcoming TEDxYouth@Shaydisde event, including a look at what attendees can expect, and what it took for Shaan to undertake such an endeavor.  Also, Raja will talk with another one of the presenters at the TEDxYouth@Shadyside event, Priya Narasimhan, the CEO and Founder of YinzCam, a Pittsburgh-based tech firm behind over 140 apps used by many sports leagues and organizations, including the NFL and NBA, to enhance the user experience of those who are on-site. Priya will discuss the story of her company, her plans for future success, and the role that innovation plays in establishing Pittsburgh as a world leader in the business sector.

Raja, Host of The Raja Show, will be emceeing our event, bringing a unique energy to the event’s atmosphere. The impressive speaker lineup included eleven individuals of various backgrounds and professions speaking on diverse topics within technology, healthcare, business, and the arts.

Ryan’s Rules:  What Impact Will the New Speaker of the House Have on The Future of American Business and the Economy?  Congressman Keith Rothfus Joins Us For An Inside Look 
_____________________________________________________________________

The turbulence surrounding Republican Congressional leadership in Washington D.C. has settled considerably within the past week, in the wake of Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan’s highly anticipated ascension to the House Speaker seat recently relinquished by John Boehner.

But amid the anticipation, hype, and talk of a new day in Washington, the question remains:  Will this leadership change REALLY have an impact on the direction of our economy, and will businesses truly be able to capitalize?

Many of Ryan’s contemporaries definitely think so, and on this edition of “The Raja Show”, one such representative, Congressman Keith Rothfus (R – Pennsylvania) joins Raja live to discuss why he is “all-in” on Speaker Ryan, and why he was among those leading the charge for a reluctant Ryan to put his hesitations aside and do what he believes is best for the Party, and the country.

Plus, Congressman Rothfus will discuss his thoughts on both sides of the 2016 Presidential Election, and what the leading candidates, whoever they end up being, need to do to not just win the election next November, but to lead America’s economy back on the successful path to the point where business and individuals can prosper.  And he’ll reflect on his own initiatives, including the Congressional Pay for Performance Act,, and how they are geared towards bringing accountability and transparency back into Congressional activity in a way that best serves the American people.