Episodes

  • Building your content marketing muscles with guest expert Pamela Wilson

    Building your content marketing muscles with guest expert Pamela Wilson
    May 30 2023
    Pamela Wilson, author of Master Content Marketing Bill Ringle and Pamela Wilson discuss how content marketing differs from social media marketing and what steps to take to attract leads that become profitable customers for small business marketers. >>> Visit MyQuestforTheBest.com  for complete show notes and more expert advice and inspiring stories to propel your small business growth. My Quest for the Best is a top-rated small business podcast with over 300 episodes of thought-provoking and insightful interviews with today’s top thought leaders and business experts. Host Bill Ringle’s mission with this show is to provide the strategies, insights, and resources that will unlock the growth potential of your business through these powerful conversations. Interview Insights Top 3 Takeaways People should stop asking whether to put high-quality content or not. Our content should always be high-quality. Focus on building your content on your primary website. While posting on sites such as LinkedIn is great, there is a chance you may be taken off at any moment. It is not content marketing without a call to action. Read the Show Notes from this Episode The power couple of Eleonor and Franklin Roosevelt are Pamela's biggest inspirations. [01:17] Pamela talks about how she got into content marketing. [03:44] Why call to action are necessary. [05:26] Pamela gives tips to address the concern of where we should put our content and why it is better to do it on your OWN website. [11:14] Why do we have to put our best stuff and post consistently? [15:56] Pamela talks about Roberta, a client she used to work with who manages a sales team, and how practicing consistency on high-quality posting got them a lot of traffic. [18:20] To lessen the pressure, Pamela reminds us that everyone just starting content marketing should not feel like they should immediately be able to post the best pieces. [24:59] My Quest for the Best lightning round begins. [27:22] Expert Bio Pamela Wilson is a 30+ year business owner, executive coach, and corporate consultant. She's published three books and has created and marketed dozens of online courses for herself and others. Pamela is a keynote speaker and frequent podcast guest. Pamela created the Offer Accelerator Program and serves as the program's head coach and business advisor. In her role as a digital marketing consultant Pamela has worked with local, national, and international clients. Contact Info and Social Media for Pamela Wilson Primary website Travels from: Nashville, Tennessee Connect on: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook Resources Mentioned During the Interview Below are key people, places, books, quotes, websites, and other resources that we discussed, so you can explore further. Eleanor Roosevelt Franklin Roosevelt Published by Pamela Wilson
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    33 mins
  • The best leaders value profits and people with guest expert Andrew Bryant

    The best leaders value profits and people with guest expert Andrew Bryant
    May 15 2023
    Andrew Bryant, author of The New Leadership Playbook: Being human whilst successfully delivering accelerated results Bill Ringle and Andrew Bryant discuss details of decisiveness, inclusiveness, and accountability as leadership plays that leaders of small and mid-size companies can use now. >>> Visit MyQuestforTheBest.com  for complete show notes and more expert advice and inspiring stories to propel your small business growth. My Quest for the Best is a top-rated small business podcast with over 400 episodes of thought-provoking and insightful interviews with today’s top thought leaders and business experts. Host Bill Ringle’s mission with this show is to provide the strategies, insights, and resources that will unlock the growth potential of your business through these powerful conversations. Interview Insights Top 3 Takeaways Responsibility is personal. I am responsible for my thoughts and my actions. Accountability is an agreement. It's something that people use to forge a contract. A single universal type of leader is a myth. Different leaders excel under different circumstances. Talent is rare, but strength is something each of us can acquire. It may be by strengthening ourselves or hiring someone whose strong suit complements our weak areas. Read the Show Notes from this Episode Andrew's first work experience was at his father's hardware store when he was 10. By observing his father's interactions with clients and employees, he learned how to have an executive presence. [01:14] His father's teaching of honesty, authenticity, and being true to oneself played a major role in Andrew's career in landing him his first CEO client. [02:46] Why is leadership a process? [05:21] Explain more about how no perfect leadership style fits all businesses at all times under all circumstances. [06:16] What are responsibility and accountability, and how they differ from each other? [09:44] Why decisiveness is critical to good leadership. CASE: Gustav responded to a crisis of his company's baby formula possibly being contaminated. [13:28] What can wel learn from the insight that people and profits are not an either-or consideration, but that both can be served? [17:55] My Quest for the Best lighting round begins. [22:41] Expert Bio Andrew Bryant is the founder of Self Leadership International and the world's leading expert on self-leadership. He has written two books on the topic, Self-Leadership: How to Become a More Successful, Efficient, and Effective Leader from the Inside Out (Bryant & Kazan, 2012) and Self Leadership: 12 Powerful Mindsets & Methods to Win in Life & Business (Bryant, 2016), and The New Leadership Playbook – Being Human whilst delivering Accelerated Results (Bryant, 2022). He has also contributed to many blogs, books, and articles on self-leadership and leadership. Andrew has coached hundreds of leaders and leadership teams to become the best version of themselves and to scale their companies. He has international experience with clients from Asia, Australasia, the United States of America (USA), Europe, The Middle East, and Africa. Not only has Andrew worked across geographical locations and cultures, but he has also transformed and developed leaders across industries, including the airline industry, software and hardware companies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, professional services, banking, finance, manufacturing, hospitality, and travel. Contact Info and Social Media for Andrew Bryant Primary website Travels from: Kennebunk, ME Connect on: Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook Resources Mentioned During the Interview Below are key people, places, books, quotes, websites and other resources that we discussed, so you can explore further. Brian Tracy Nelson Mandela Published by Andrew Bryant
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    28 mins
  • Retaining top talent demands that you create a culture of growth, respect, and opportunity with guest expert Merrylue Martin

    Retaining top talent demands that you create a culture of growth, respect, and opportunity with guest expert Merrylue Martin
    May 8 2023
    Merrylue Martin, author of The Big Quit Survival Guide: Tools and Tactics to Attract the Best, Retain Top Performers & Nail the Talent War Merrylue Martin and Bill Ringle discuss the dangers of a dull work culture or toxic interactions that go unchecked and what you can do to attract and retain top talent for small business leaders. >>> Visit MyQuestforTheBest.com  for complete show notes and more expert advice and inspiring stories to propel your small business growth. My Quest for the Best is a top-rated small business podcast with over 400 episodes of thought-provoking and insightful interviews with today’s top thought leaders and business experts. Host Bill Ringle’s mission with this show is to provide the strategies, insights, and resources that will unlock the growth potential of your business through these powerful conversations. Interview Insights Top 3 Takeaways The pandemic ushered in an era in which 'respect' is the currency that makes people stay in their job. Leaders who make an extra effort to keep their top performers usually do. No matter how high the pay, if employees feel that they are undervalued, disregarded, and disrespected, they move on. At least those with the most potential and ambition move on. Know your employees. Take a quick survey of what they like and dislike, or ask any questions that will give you a better understanding of who they are. This way, you'll know how to give them respect in a way that matters most. Each person defines respect differently. Show Notes from this Episode Merrylue shared about her friend Joanna who, during one of the darkest moments, reminded her that our quest is not to be perfect but only to be our best. [01:44] The pandemic accelerated changes that were already been building up tensions. Merrylue explains why today's work environment is no longer "your grandfather's workplace." [07:26] Why is it important to avoid overloading top performers? [11:16] What is one of the dangers of top performers quitting? It tends to be a domino effect. After all, these are people their peers look up to. [13:40] What are stay interviews? What are some of the advantages stay interviews have over exit interviews? [17:20] Respect is defined differently by different people. Sally and Leroy's answer to the question, "What is it that would be most respectful to you," could not be further from each other. [20:15] What are the 3Rs that can be used to retain talent? Requirements, Rewards, and Respect. [24:16] CASE: Sandy works in the film industry in LA. She feels like she doesn't get enough respect at work, so despite the excellent pay, she dreads her working hours. [27:52] CASE: Jim works for a start-up company. Unlike Sandy, Jim isn't paid that much, but Jim loves his work. He is always looking forward to going to work, and that is because he feels like he is being treated like gold. [29:34] My Quest for the Best lightning round begins. [34:56] Expert Bio Merrylue Martin is a celebrated leadership strategist with decades of successfully working with global leaders and business owners of all types and sizes to make their employees feel uniquely respected, appreciated, fulfilled, and engaged. The recent release of her new book, The Big Quit Survival Guide, has received rave reviews and best-seller status in Amazon’s Office Management category. As a Fortune 50 senior executive, educational administrator, management consultant, and business owner, she has comprehensive experience in creating and delivering strategies that engage and retain top performers. Dr. Martin is an honored graduate of the Women’s Leadership program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Her doctorate in organizational leadership and published dissertation from Pepperdine University uncovered the research that resulted in business and leadership practices that directly drive an employee’s decision t...
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    43 mins
  • The invaluable lessons contained in feedback with guest expert Chuck Mollor.

    The invaluable lessons contained in feedback with guest expert Chuck Mollor.
    May 1 2023
    Chuck Mollor, author of The Rise of the Agile Leader: Can You Make the Shift? Chuck Mollor and Bill Ringle discuss insights about how you can benefit from messages contained in feedback from 1:1s to 360s for small business leaders. >>> Visit MyQuestforTheBest.com  for complete show notes and more expert advice and inspiring stories to propel your small business growth. My Quest for the Best is a top-rated small business podcast with over 300 episodes of thought-provoking and insightful interviews with today’s top thought leaders and business experts. Host Bill Ringle’s mission with this show is to provide the strategies, insights, and resources that will unlock the growth potential of your business through these powerful conversations. Interview Insights Top 3 Takeaways When our business grows, so do our responsibilities. As leaders, we need to learn how to change where we spend our time, delegate obligations, and know when to hire external help. Receiving 360 feedback will give us words that can hurt us. But feedback is critical because we might be 100% assured that we are competent enough with a job that sometimes we need our people to point out when and where we're falling short. When our own people are hesitant to share their honest feedback even when asked, that is a sign of lack of trust and an urgent matter we need to fix. Read the Show Notes from this Episode Chuck talks about his greatest influence growing up, his best friend's father Frank, who is also a father figure to him. [01:44] Understanding how the size of our organization affects how we communicate and how we care about our people. [04:28] How does a manager's time shift as an organization grows? [07:31] The five drivers of growth: growth, direction, integrity, innovation, engagement, and urgency. [09:33] Recognizing when we're not doing our job and when to seek external help. [11:42] What can you learn from receiving 360 feedback that can make you a better leader?.[14:26] CASE: Mike and why lack of trust alarm bells sound if our people don't talk to us even when asked. [18:37] My Quest for the Best lightning round begins. [26:22] Expert Bio Chuck Mollor is the founder, CEO, advisor, and executive coach at MCG Partners, an organization that helps develop leaders and teams, optimizing both businesses and individual talent. His new book and best-selling book, The Rise of the Agile Leader: Can You Make the Shift?, is a guide for the aspiring, mid, and seasoned c-leader and executive that introduces a new leadership paradigm, a roadmap of what makes a great leader, and what organizations must do to develop great leaders. Contact Info and Social Media for Chuck Mollor Primary website Travels from: Middleboro, MA Connect on: Twitter | LinkedIn Resources Mentioned During the Interview Below are key people, places, books, quotes, websites and other resources that we discussed, so you can explore further. Item1 Published by Chuck Mollor
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    30 mins
  • A published book changes lives for the author and their readers with guest expert Chandler Bolt

    A published book changes lives for the author and their readers with guest expert Chandler Bolt
    Apr 17 2023
    Chandler Bolt, author of Published: The Proven Path From Blank Page To 10,000 Copies Sold Bill Ringle and Chandler Bolt discuss the top obstacles and paths to becoming a published author based on 6,000 success stories at Self Publishing School for ambitious SMB leaders. >>> Visit MyQuestforTheBest.com for complete show notes and more expert advice and inspiring stories to propel your small business growth. My Quest for the Best is a top-rated small business podcast with over 400 episodes of thought-provoking and insightful interviews with today’s top thought leaders and business experts. Host Bill Ringle’s mission with this show is to provide the strategies, insights, and resources that will unlock the growth potential of your business through these powerful conversations. Interview Insights Top 3 Takeaways Push hard for your dreams, and even harder when people tell you that you can't make it. Do not wait for the perfect time to write a book. Write now or you might write never. Push yourself and test whether something is possible or not. Read the Show Notes from this Episode His brother Seth, who plays bass in Grammy-nominated rock band NEEDTOBREATHE, inspired Chandler to reach hard for his dreams even when people tell him it's impossible. [01:13] A New York Times article quoted a survey that found that 81% of people want to write a book, but only 1% actually do. Chandler details why for some people, someday becomes never. [03:07] How can you help aspiring authors overcome internal conflicts that prevent them from getting through their first drafts? [04:42] What are the four most common reasons why people write books? Passion, shared experience, becoming a full-time author, and growing your business. [06:38] What would you say to debunk the myth that if we share our experience and knowledge in writing, people won't need us anymore and why generosity is the key to business growth and longevity? [07:59] When your first self-published book didn't exactly rake in the success and the money you expected, how did meeting SAM through your book manager help? Every self-published author needs to know what SAM represents.[10:38] Why was copy writing pivotal for you when you released your first book and had $15,000 in credit card debt? [12:43] Why do expert authors need to approach marketing like a Toyota Camry, not like a Lamborghini? [14:51] How does the Amazon algorithm and a series of steps to use "Amazon juice" to get your book more readers and recommendations? [21:06] My Quest for the Best lightning round begins. [24:44] Expert Bio Chandler Bolt is the author of Published, The Proven Path From Blank Page To 10,000 Copies Sold. As a seven-time bestselling author and CEO of Self-Publishing School and selfpublishing.com, Chandler knows exactly how instrumental writing books can be in sharing your message and even growing and scaling your business. His message is that you can't wait for the “perfect time” in life to get writing, the perfect time to get writing is now. Contact Info and Social Media for Chandler Bolt Primary website Travels from: Fort Myers, FL Connect on: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram Resources Mentioned During the Interview Below are key people, places, books, quotes, websites, and other resources that we discussed, so you can explore further. Tony Robbins Oprah Grammys Think You Have a Book in You? Think Again by Joseph Epstein in the New York Times NEEDTOBREATHE Michael Hyatt 80/20 Sales and Marketing: The Definitive Guide to Working Less and Making More by Perry Marshall Published by Chandler Bolt
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    31 mins
  • Find your greater potential with guest expert Jim Wetrich

    Find your greater potential with guest expert Jim Wetrich
    Apr 10 2023
    Jim Wetrich, author of Stifled: Where Good Leaders Go Wrong Bill Ringle and Jim Wetrich discuss the traps and solutions to the causes of working in isolation, ignorance, and unawareness to gain greater clarity and effectiveness for small business leaders. >>> Visit MyQuestforTheBest.com  for complete show notes and more expert advice and inspiring stories to propel your small business growth. My Quest for the Best is a top-rated small business podcast with over 400 episodes of thought-provoking and insightful interviews with today’s top thought leaders and business experts. Host Bill Ringle’s mission with this show is to provide the strategies, insights, and resources that will unlock the growth potential of your business through these powerful conversations. Interview Insights Top 3 Takeaways Managers should have a classification system for who should be back at the office, continue working remotely, or work hybrid, and must be very clear-cut as to why because of the nature of these employees' or this department's job, they can be more efficient in this kind of work environment. Always be explicit about what you say. Any misinformation or misrepresentation of a process or path can capsize our credibility and demotivate our people. Fairness is not treating your people the same but based on their needs because some people need more assistance than others, while some need to be held more accountable. Remember that your employees are at different levels of the growth curve. Read the Show Notes from this Episode Jim got his first job as a grocery bagger for State Brothers and his first boss, David Gamon, made him realize that with the right leadership, work can be fun no matter what position you hold. [01:03] His former manager's influence seeped through his next, proving that in some cases, it is not enough to explain; it would be more efficient to demonstrate. [04:08] A big problem in today's work is that some people want things to go back to how they were before the pandemic lockdown while others fully embrace remote work. Each have their reasons. How can leaders handle this issue to benefit both the company and the employees? [07:15] A big problem for most remote managers is trusting that their employees are working. What are some of the best tips on how managers can better work with employees despite the physical distance. [11:25] CASE: Mike is a manager who failed to be explicit when discussing his promotion paths to his employees. As a result, expectations were crushed, and his credibility tanked. [16:10] The dangers of being a 'know-it-all' manager. Jim gives excellent points on why leaders should say, 'I don't know' more often. [18:51] My Quest for the Best lightning round begins. [25:50] Expert Bio James G. Wetrich, LFACHE is the CEO of The Wetrich Group of Companies and the author of Stifled: Where Good Leaders Go Wrong. His writing has also appeared in the 2021 anthology series Quitless: The Power of Persistence in Business and Life, a USA Today and WSJ best seller. Having led teams on three continents for more than 40 years and consulted with over 100 companies, Jim has seen great leaders who have thrived and ones that have failed. A noted expert in leadership, Jim’s leadership lessons are as highly sought after by today’s business students as they are among Baby Boomers. From 2006 to 2014, Jim built a team at Molnlycke Health Care that grew the revenue over 7 times and the EBITDA over 20 times creating over $1BN growth in enterprise value and taking the US business from number 5 to number 1 in the served market with an employee satisfaction index of over 95%. Jim is passionate about diversity and inclusion and hosted a two-day meeting for all women in the organization (not just high potentials) to discuss their unique challenges. As the founder and CEO of The Wetrich Group of Companies, Jim focuses now on coaching and mentorship and spre...
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    32 mins
  • Bring out the gold nuggets to share with media to get the most exposure with guest expert Liz Kelly

    Bring out the gold nuggets to share with media to get the most exposure with guest expert Liz Kelly
    Apr 3 2023
    Liz Kelly, author of 8-Second PR - New Public Relations Crash Course (2nd Edition, 2022) Bill Ringle and Liz Kelly discuss how to refine your story and your message to the elements that will get the greatest response from the media to promote your book, product, or cause for small business leaders. >>> Visit MyQuestforTheBest.com  for complete show notes and more expert advice and inspiring stories to propel your small business growth. My Quest for the Best is a top-rated small business podcast with over 300 episodes of thought-provoking and insightful interviews with today’s top thought leaders and business experts. Host Bill Ringle’s mission with this show is to provide the strategies, insights, and resources that will unlock the growth potential of your business through these powerful conversations. Interview Insights Top 3 Takeaways To be successful in your message, remember to not make it all about you. For anyone who wants to be a guest on TV shows and podcasts, start with smaller shows first to gain more experience, growing your qualification and reputation as a guest people want to have in their shows. Impart to your audience the richness you have inside and allow them to relate to you. Read the Show Notes from this Episode Liz talks about what it's like growing up with a really great mother, who happens to be her biggest influence. [01:38] From writing her dating book to being the go-to person for PR, Liz talks about why she decided to serve others. [03:48] A great tip to people who want to write a book or start a business: It's not all about you. [06:04] To find your media gold, Liz gives strong emphasis on not holding back when working with a publicist. [10:00] Josh is a CEO who runs an addiction center for veterans. Josh's media gold is his own humbling experience his clients and a lot of people who are struggling with addiction can relate to and he shares it in a funny, humbling, and very inspiring way. [11:13] Bing on a big TV show like Oprah or a podcast like Tim Ferris is not the first step. [14:33] Michelle is a client of Liz's who is a natural spokesperson. Liz talks about what makes someone an ideal guest. [16:35] Rick is another great client of Liz who knows how to draw people in. Because of this, he is always invited back to be a guest. [21:33] My Quest for the Best lightning round begins. [24:45] Expert Bio Liz H. Kelly (Santa Monica, CA) is Goody PR Founder, Award-Winning Author of “8-Second PR”, Podcast Host (8-Second Branding) and Goody Business Book Awards Founder. Based on 15+ years of public relations and marketing experience, Kelly is passionate about magnifying brands and experts through timely marketing and public relations campaigns. After working as an executive at Paramount Pictures, MySpace, Sprint PCS, and LA startups, Kelly decided to start Goody PR. While booking 500+ TV, print, radio and podcast media interviews for her first book (“Smart Man Hunting”) over 5 years, Kelly fell in love with the art of brand storytelling and creating timely media hooks. Her work has been featured on CNN, ABC News, FOX News, USA TODAY, The Chicago Tribune, Thrive Global, Buzzfeed, KTLA, KCBS, BBC Radio, NPR and many more. She has booked clients on the TODAY Show, PBS, CNN, FOX Business, BBC World News, NPR, and in TIME, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and thousands of media outlets. As fun facts, Kelly is a Johns Hopkins University Carey School of Business alumni from Baltimore, Maryland, loves photography, has been a red carpet reporter at Oscar events, Sundance, Comic-Con, and more with several videos with 1+ million views, and is an autism advocate. Contact Info and Social Media for Liz Kelly Primary website Travels from: Santa Monica, California Connect on: Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook Resources Mentioned During the Interview Below are key people, places,
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    31 mins
  • Personal growth accelerates business growth with guest expert Byron Morrison

    Personal growth accelerates business growth with guest expert Byron Morrison
    Mar 27 2023
    Byron Morrison, author of The Effective CEO: How to hone your focus, prioritize your time and take control of your CEO role Bill Ringle and Byron Morrison discuss how you as a business leader can avoid becoming the bottleneck in your own business by working on your mindset, emotional control, and performance routines. >>> Visit MyQuestforTheBest.com  for complete show notes and more expert advice and inspiring stories to propel your small business growth. My Quest for the Best is a top-rated small business podcast with over 300 episodes of thought-provoking and insightful interviews with today’s top thought leaders and business experts. Host Bill Ringle’s mission with this show is to provide the strategies, insights, and resources that will unlock the growth potential of your business through these powerful conversations. Interview Insights Top 3 Takeaways While as leaders, our goal is to lead our organizations to success, we should not neglect essential areas in our personal lives, like our relationships and our health, to keep up our high energy. Our energy directly impacts our performance which directly affects the people we lead. Not prioritizing our personal development tanks our ability to lead. Instead of committing to following a to-do list, we should instead figure out what works best by aligning our energy and our schedule to what's most important. Read the Show Notes from this Episode A unique source of inspiration for Byron when he was growing up is Tome Delonge from Blink 182. [05:52] Byron shares how the artist he looked up to and his band, through their music, influenced his career as a businessman. [02:38] The impact Byron wants to achieve when he wrote The Effective CEO. [04:29] Byron recalls the day he decided to change as a person, which led to him writing his first bestselling book, Become a Better You, and starting his business. [05:33] CASE: Matthew was a client of Byron's who runs a small advertising agency. He was struggling with his team not getting on board and him not knowing how to effectively delegate. [07:33] Why our personal lives should not be brushed off to purely focus on our role as leaders. [09:05] A key principle is figuring out your energy and how to structure your schedule to align with that. [11:20] CASE: Jason who runs a tech startup in Silicon Valley. Jason loves his to-do lists, not realizing that this practice of checking the boxes is a terrible approach for CEOs. [13:06] How to effectively implement and commit to time blocking and make it a part of your work style. [15:40] My Quest for the Best lightning round begins. [24:36] Expert Bio Byron Morrison is the author of the books "The Effective CEO" and "CEO In Control", as well as being a speaker and coach. He helps CEOs take control and become more effective in their role so that they can maximize their time, lead with confidence and grow a business without losing their sanity. Contact Info and Social Media for byron Morrison Primary website Travels from: Warwick, Warwickshire Connect on: LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook Resources Mentioned During the Interview Below are key people, places, books, quotes, websites, and other resources that we discussed, so you can explore further. CEO In Control: Stop reacting, get out of your own head, and master the mental game needed to be a highly effective CEO by Byron Morrison Become a Better You: Stop dieting, start living by Byron Morrison Awaken the Giant Within- How to Take Immediate Control of Your Mental, Emotional, Physical and Financial Destiny! by Tony Robbins High-Performance Habits- How Extraordinary People Become That Way by Brendon Burchard Published by byron Morrison
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    28 mins