In this episode, Simon Lader sits down with Lori Asbury, a seasoned executive with over 25 years in brand strategy, operations, and consumer marketing. From shaping billion-dollar brands like HGTV, Fox, and CBS to leading her own agency through challenges like COVID, Lori shares actionable advice on strategic planning, authentic storytelling, balancing vision with execution, and scaling small businesses. Drawing from her equestrian background, she emphasizes resiliency and thinking outside the box. Whether you're a startup founder or corporate leader, this episode is packed with insights on driving revenue growth while staying true to your brand.

Key Moments

Drivers of Sustainable Growth

Balancing Big Picture and DetailsReal-World Examples of Balance

Building the Right Team

Understanding the Competitive LandscapeThe Power of Storytelling and AuthenticityCommon Mistakes in Brand ExtensionLessons from Big Brands to Small BusinessesEquestrian Lessons for BusinessThree Tips to Follow in Laurie's Footsteps

To learn more about Lori Asbury please visit her Linkedin Profile

To learn more about Lori please visit her website

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YOUR HOST - SIMON LADER

Simon Lader is the host of The Conference Room, Co-Founder of global executive search firm Salisi Human Capital, and lead generation consultancy Flow and Scale. Since 1997, Simon has helped cybersecurity vendors to build highly effective teams, and since 2022 he has helped people create consistent revenue through consistent lead generation.

Get to know more about Simon at:

Website: https://simonlader.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/simonlader

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/headhuntersimonlader/

The Conference Room is available on

Spotify

Apple podcasts

Amazon Music

IHeartRadio

In this inspiring episode, Anya Cheng shares her remarkable journey from a non-technical immigrant background to leading product and growth at giants like Facebook, eBay, Target, and McDonald's, and ultimately founding Taylor—an AI-driven menswear rental and styling service for busy professionals. Drawing from her experiences during the 2008 recession, Anya discusses overcoming job-hunting hurdles, the birth of Taylor from personal frustrations with fashion rentals, and how AI and human stylists combine to solve real pain points for ambitious men who prioritize success over style. She reveals growth strategies, lessons from big tech, and future plans for sustainability and corporate partnerships. Perfect for entrepreneurs, fashion innovators, and anyone navigating career pivots.Key Moments

1. Host welcomes Anya Cheng, highlighting her tech leadership at Facebook, eBay, and more. Anya introduces Taylor as an AI service that curates and rents real menswear for busy men, eliminating shopping and laundry.

2. Anya shares how imposter syndrome as a female immigrant leader at eBay sparked Taylor. She hated subscription boxes and rental hassles, realizing fashion companies ignore practical users.Key Quote: "Most of fashion companies are designing for people who are into fashion, not for people like me. I just want to get ready for the day... Success for me is not about looking good. It's about looking good to get a job, get the deal."

3. Fresh from Northwestern with a marketing master's, Anya ambushes recruiters, networks via professors, and cold-calls publishers amid layoffs—turning desperation into her first media role.

4. Anya explains why she didn't quit: By leveraging her reporter skills (e.g., interviewing, cold-calling), challenges felt manageable, fueling hope.

5. Two years in, Taylor's users aren't just renting clothes—they're buying "chances to succeed" (e.g., job interviews, deals). Customers value convenience like an "executive assistant," while suppliers seek detailed feedback to reduce waste.

6. AI powers onboarding (quizzes, photos) and recommendations from 27,000 garments, with human stylists refining via Zoom/text. It even generates SEO content for trends.

7. Partnerships with dating apps, fitness centers, law firms, and nonprofits outperform solo efforts. Content marketing educates on body types and travel perks (e.g., no luggage fees).

8. From a Shopify waitlist, Anya manually bought/s shipped sale items from Macy's to her first eager customer (a real estate agent), validating demand and iterating 100 times.

9. Big tech taught logical thinking (goals vs. strategies) to pitch investors. For Taylor, targeting men yields higher margins than women's rentals due to buy-through rates.

10. Illustrate a clear problem/persona (e.g., men's convenience vs. women's variety). Nail one giant feature (like Google's search bar). 3) Focus on product-market fit over features.

To learn more about Anya Cheng please visit her Linkedin ProfileTo learn more about Taelor please visit her website

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YOUR HOST - SIMON LADER

Simon Lader is the host of The Conference Room, Co-Founder of global executive search firm Salisi Human Capital, and lead generation consultancy Flow and Scale. Since 1997, Simon has helped cybersecurity vendors to build highly effective teams, and since 2022 he has helped people create consistent revenue through consistent lead generation.

Get to know more about Simon at:

Website: https://simonlader.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/simonlader

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/headhuntersimonlader/

The Conference Room is available on

SpotifyApple podcastsAmazon MusicIHeartRadio

In this episode of The Conference Room, host Simon is joined by serial entrepreneur Kasim Aslam. Kasim shares his inspiring journey from humble beginnings in Albuquerque to building multiple seven and eight-figure businesses, including the top-ranked Google ad agency Solutions 8, which he sold in 2022. He discusses his entrepreneurial origin story, the challenges he faced, and how he cracked the code on hiring exceptional talent globally. Kasim introduces his upcoming book Higher, a step-by-step framework for hiring top remote talent, and dives deep into why most businesses struggle to attract extraordinary employees and how to fix that. He also shares practical hiring strategies, including how to find, vet, and retain the best people worldwide, especially in emerging markets. This episode is a must-listen for entrepreneurs and business leaders looking to scale with high-impact talent.

Key Moments:

1. Introduction to Kasim Aslam: Serial entrepreneur, author, and founder of Solutions 8, with multiple successful exits

2. Cassim’s entrepreneurial origin story: Growing up in poverty, early business lessons selling candy, and the impact of his upbringing.

3. Overcoming adversity: From losing everything in the banking collapse to starting over with web work and building Solutions 8.

4. Building and selling Solutions 8: Growing the largest dedicated Google ad agency and lessons learned from the exit.

5. Post-exit ventures and passion for offshore staffing: How Kasim builds multiple service businesses and his focus on empowering talent in emerging markets.

6. The Higher book and hiring philosophy: Why treating people as commodities is wrong and the power of the Pareto (80/20) distribution in talent.

7. Why most businesses repel top talent: Fear of competence, mediocrity, and the importance of paying more to attract exceptional employees.

8. Global talent arbitrage: How hiring internationally can provide access to highly skilled, motivated workers at competitive rates.

9. Practical hiring framework: Writing compelling job posts, using “fly traps” to filter candidates, paying for trial projects, and testing real job skills.

10. Final tips and book launch: Top three hiring tips—be a place people want to work, have high expectations, and trust your team. How to get the Higher book and connect with Cassim.To learn more about Kasim Aslam please visit her Linkedin ProfileTo learn more about Pareto Talent please visit her website
    

YOUR HOST - SIMON LADER

Simon Lader is the host of The Conference Room, Co-Founder of global executive search firm Salisi Human Capital, and lead generation consultancy Flow and Scale. Since 1997, Simon has helped cybersecurity vendors to build highly effective teams, and since 2022 he has helped people create consistent revenue through consistent lead generation.

Get to know more about Simon at:

Website: https://simonlader.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/simonlader

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/headhuntersimonlader/

The Conference Room is available on

Spotify

Apple podcasts

Amazon Music

IHeartRadio