AI is everywhere, but most businesses are using it the wrong way.

In this episode of the Measure Success Podcast, Carl J. Cox sits down with Eli Portnoy, co-founder and CEO of BackEngine.ai, to talk about the real gap between AI hype and real-world results. Eli explains why generic AI outputs fail, why context matters more than tools, and how sales and go-to-market strategies must evolve in a crowded, low-trust environment.

They also discuss how outbound sales has changed, why easy channels stop working, and what leaders can do today to build relevance, trust, and long-term growth.

If you want a clear, practical conversation about AI, strategy, and modern business execution, this episode delivers.

Listen now and learn how to apply AI with intention.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/eliportnoy/

https://www.backengine.com/

This episode is sponsored by Altezza Solutions, liberating entrepreneurs through fractional sales execution. Today, Steve helps growth-stage companies break through revenue barriers while giving founders the freedom to focus on building extraordinary businesses.

Founder-led businesses often grow fast, then stall.

In this episode of the Measure Success Podcast, Carl Cox sits down with Steve Caton, Founder and CEO of Altezza Solutions, to discuss why sales becomes the biggest bottleneck for growing companies.

Steve shares why hiring salespeople often fails, how founders unintentionally trap themselves in the sales role, and what it takes to build repeatable, predictable sales systems.

You'll learn:

• Why sales talent alone does not solve growth

• How systems and process drive consistency

• When fractional sales makes sense

• How founders can step out of the sales seat

If sales depends on you, growth will too.

Listen now and measure what success really looks like.

Selling to private equity is not the end of the journey. It is the beginning of a new phase of growth.

In this episode of the Measure Success Podcast, Carl J. Cox, CEO of 40 Strategy and 40 Accounting sits down with Neel Bhargava, founding partner at NB Group, to unpack how private equity partnerships really work for founder- and family-owned businesses.

Neel shares how his firm approaches growth-focused investing, why rolling equity is critical, and how conservative use of debt protects long-term value. The conversation also explores what typically changes in the first 18 months after an investment, including finance, leadership structure, and strategic planning.

This episode offers clear insight for founders thinking about private equity and operators preparing for their next stage of scale.

Listen now and learn how to build a business that is ready for growth, partnership, and long-term success.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/neelbhargava/

www.nbgroup.us