Shocking Profit Podcast
Find new ways to create and claim value in your company with The Shocking Profit Podcast. This show provides business owners and leaders with a practical and endlessly fascinating study of how to effectively run a company, build a good life for employees, serve customers well, and build wealth. All while having a good time.
Host Tim Van Mieghem is a grizzled veteran with 30-plus years of experience guiding entrepreneurs to claim and create value in private equity. He's seen it all and is here to share his wealth of knowledge. Tim will tell you what you need to hear, which may not be what you want to hear, to help you find the shocking profit within your own company.
Shocking Profit Podcast
Why Curiosity Beats Judgement with Gary Fretwell
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In this episode of the Shocking Profit Podcast, host Tim Van Mieghem sits down with Gary Fretwell, a seasoned consultant who has worked with nearly a thousand colleges and universities across the country, to explore what business owners can gain from understanding the hidden drivers of organizational success in the academic world. Gary unpacks what shocking profit really means for universities and businesses alike, emphasizing how practices like active listening, empathy, and contextual understanding can unlock powerful improvements in customer engagement and retention.
Tim and Gary take listeners inside the complexity of higher education, revealing why true transformation starts with connecting to the real needs and challenges of every stakeholder within a business. Gary shares insights from decades of on-the-ground consulting, including the profound impact of academic advising on student outcomes and how this can be applied to your relationships with employees and customers.
The discussion goes beyond education and into universal principles of business excellence, including how segmenting data, asking the right questions, and fostering genuine relationships drive sustainable results. Gary’s stories shed light on what organizations can learn from universities about attracting and keeping customers, whether those customers are students, clients, or community members.
Packed with actionable strategies, this episode is essential listening for leaders in any field who want to deepen engagement, turn challenges into opportunities, and build enduring impact by putting people first. Tim and Gary deliver a masterclass on serving with purpose and driving lasting change.
Connect with Gary Fretwell
Thanks for joining us! For more information on this episode, including the reading recommendations mentioned, visit the show notes at shockingprofit.com
Connect with your host
Send us a life hack, business hack, or challenge us with a question at elwood@shockingprofit.com