Business Growth Spotlight
Welcome to Business Growth Spotlight, the podcast where we shine a light on innovative business leaders, cutting-edge strategies, and the latest trends shaping the world of business growth. Whether you're a CEO, Founder, Corporate leader or Entrepreneur, this podcast delivers actionable insights and expert conversations to help you scale your business, increase revenue, and stay ahead in a competitive market.
Join host Heidi Schalk as we dive deep into the stories and strategies of industry leaders, uncovering the tools and tactics they use to drive success. From navigating corporate challenges to mastering online visibility, this podcast is your go-to resource for scaling your business and reaching your goals.
Tune in on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, for inspiring conversations, practical advice, and a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to thrive in today’s ever-evolving business landscape.
Business Growth Spotlight
Ep. 237 The AI Paradox: Why Trust Becomes Your Biggest Competitive Advantage
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Show Notes:
In this episode of the Business Growth Spotlight, Heidi Schalk welcomes Larry Stybel of Stybel Peabody Associates, a serial entrepreneur, psychologist, entrepreneur in residence at a private equity firm, and monthly contributor to Psychology Today. Larry helps companies achieve higher net income and higher perceived institutional trust through C suite coaching, retained board search, and family business succession work.
Larry unpacks what he calls the AI paradox. As AI makes analytical thinking a commodity and products harder to differentiate, it is also fueling a historic rise in mistrust. His argument is that perceived institutional trust, measured yearly against your competitors, becomes the real differentiator, and boards will be focused on it within three to five years even if they are not today. He walks through simple ways to measure it, including the customer loyalty index applied internally with one honest question.
Using the story of Nokia, Blackberry, and Apple, Larry illustrates the leadership blind spot he sees most in 2026. When companies run at 120 miles an hour, peripheral vision disappears, and they miss the side threats and opportunities that decide their future. He makes the case for spending one day a year looking sideways, for hiring leaders high in openness to new ideas, and for treating growth like a researcher testing hypotheses rather than selling a magic bullet. He also shares how AI note taking lets him be more present and empathetic with clients and patients.
Bio:
Larry is a serial entrepreneur, entrepreneur-in-residence at a private equity firm, and a regular monthly contributor to PSYCHOLOGY TODAY. He works with companies interested in achieving a higher level of net income AND a higher level of perceived institutional trust. Core services revolve around the measurement of perceived institutional trust, C-Suite leadership coaching, and retained search for Board Directors. Larry has specific expertise in working with family businesses facing complex leadership succession.
To connect with our guest, click on the links below:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lstybel
Website: www.stybelpeabody.com
Connect with me:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidischalkcoaching/
🎁Spotlight to Scale Blueprint: https://spotlighttoscale.com/blueprint
🎁Join us for a free 60 Minute Webinar on Visibility and Getting Recommended by AI: https://becomeairecommended.com/grow