Johnathan Nightingale

Should I or shouldn’t I? Did I really want to admit my age to the whole LinkedIn world? But when one of Canada’s top broadcasters for the CBC – who now runs a Podcast called “The Art 2 Aging” – invites you to be interviewed, I had to say yes. So, aside from letting a few million people know that I am 69 years old, being interviewed by Chris Henry (who is a skilled and award-winning broadcaster) was an incredible gift. In this 30-minute Podcast session, we covered everything from: • how I overcame my fear of starting my own business and manifesting what I wanted • why spirituality is an important cornerstone of my life • how hiring for diversity across gender, age, experiences and skillset has made us a better agency • how to harness the power of GenAI for “good” • how Gina Livy changed my attitude toward food and my body and set me off on a path of wellness that I am happily following today I usually don’t like listening to myself being interviewed but, Chris, damn you’re good. Thank you for this experience. For those of you who listen to the podcast, let me know if anything stood out for you and what was YOUR greatest teacher in your career and life so far. The link to the Podcast is in the first comment. https://ow.ly/3MIP50TE5Ve #BusinessSuccess #Entrepreneurship #Resilience

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One quick tip about going offsite for work: If your VP texts you at 11pm to go for a run the next morning, you go. Make the most of your face time when you can. You can sleep when you get back home. #Quebec #webflow

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These entrepreneurs faced risk in their platform-dependent business. So they opted to sell their Shopify app: Canadian entrepreneurs Derek Morin and Bogdan Radu knew there was a risk to building apps for someone else’s platform. In 2016, they launched Tabarnapp to enable automatic discounting in Shopify. Their metrics by 2022: • Over $1 million in annual revenue • 80% net margin • 60,000 downloads of their flagship app, Automatic Discount • 2,500 recurring clients paying $10 to $1,000 monthly But they recognized the risk. “We realized that at any point, because we were platform-dependent, we could go bankrupt or we could be disrupted by Shopify,” Morin said. Changes to the platform — plus an increased competitive landscape — sparked the idea to sell the company. They sold Tabarnapp to software company Staytuned in November 2022 in a mid-7 figure deal. All the details in our story... https://lnkd.in/eUGEB9K5

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Cool-tech Callout (tm) Wanted to share a bit about Bold Metrics Inc., a company I've been fortunate to advise for the last little while (and which I was lucky to partner with for a few years before that). They're a bada** data science and product team that leverages actual data about you, they don't just ask where else you shop ... Brands love them b/c they drive $$$$$$$ (new sales and retention) - like an average 18% decrease in returns and a 232% increase in conversion. They’ve already partnered with major players like Vuori (my fave), Mizzen Main, and Columbia Sportswear to name a few. #Apparel Tech #AIRevolution They have developed transformative digital twin AI technology that revolutionizes the way we shop for clothes, making it easier and more personalized than ever before. I asked Daina Burnes, ceo of Bold Metrics for an overview and she shared a blurb if anyone interested ... Bold Metrics’ AI body data platform is a digital twin solution that assists apparel shoppers in finding their optimal size and fit, while concurrently aiding retailers and brands in boosting Average Order Value (AOV) and Conversion Rate (CVR), while decreasing returns. From just 4-6 simple shopper inputs, the Bold Metrics generative AI technology accurately determines critical points of measure to create unique digital twins of shoppers with over 50 body data measurements. The technology combines shopper body data with brand-specific garment data, providing tailor-level accurate size recommendations that show how an item will fit across critical points of measure — allowing shoppers to choose their best size based on their personal fit preference #ApparelTech #AIRevolution

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My favorite learnings happen in the comments section of posts. David, who co-founded Google Drive and is an exec at Shopify, shared a story about teaching his children to use with AI through voice—just as they would with other people. How do you speak well to a human? How do you develop a good relationship with someone? Provide context. Be structured in your thinking. Ask thoughtful questions. Be vulnerable. The more open you are, the better the relationship, right? The same applies to AI tools. The more open you are with AI, the better it will work for you. We’ll lean into this a lot with our voice journal app we’re building. It’s already the case with other tech products—like how LinkedIn improves job search, connections, and content recommendations based on what it knows about you. The debates around privacy and personalization are going to heat up A LOT. Maybe the lessons on how to interact with people and AI are universal.

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Thanks to the Meta news ban, "Canadians are simply seeing less news online." More than a third of Canadians can access journalism through workarounds, but about a third of news operations have given up on social media altogether. When you think about the social commitment of news - helping people get truthful, verified information about the issues of the day, providing a forum for a civil exchange of views, helping diverse communities learn about themselves and one another - this is a tragedy for democracy. News organizations must rebuild their relationships with audiences and work together to show why news is valuable and worth seeking out, vs. relying on chance encounters. We must show what trustworthy news looks like and point to exemplary colleagues. Thanks for this important analysis, Sara Parker Aengus Bridgman Christopher Ross and Zeynep Pehlivan.

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🌟 Exciting times ahead! Next week, my team at Shopify will be coming together to “burst" in-person. This will be my first time meeting the majority of these super humans in real life and I couldn’t be more thrilled. Shopify thrives as a remote organization, but the value of in-person connection cannot be overstated. Meeting face-to-face allows us to build deeper relationships, foster trust, and enhance collaboration in ways that virtual interactions sometimes fall short. It’s about those spontaneous conversations, the shared laughs, and the energy that comes from being in the same room together. These moments of in-person engagement are integral to creating a cohesive and motivated team and will propel us forward in the months to come. I feel very thankful that Shopify believes this as well and allows us to prioritize opportunities to gather. I’m looking forward to the shared brainstorming sessions, meals, and most importantly, the connections we’ll strengthen during this time together. See you in Toronto! 🚀🇨🇦🙌 #remotework #engineeringleadership #distributedteams #remotecollaboration

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Some Shopify brands are customer-centric, and then there's DOLAN. When you meet a customer-centric Founder, it's unmistakable. Jodie Dolan built an impressive scrubs brand that emerged in a competitive market with a best-in-class product and an organizational framing that truly puts the customer at the center of *everything* they do. As a size-inclusive brand, that obsession over the customer experience led her to provide her web visitors with the confidence to convert with The Dolan Difference. If you can't find your size, they'll straight up make you a custom pair. Now that's an unwavering commitment to the customer. Keep up the impressive growth, Jodie Dolan and Philip Atkins!

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𝐋𝐞𝐭’𝐬 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐀𝐈 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲—𝐀 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 There’s been a lot of buzz lately among founders and entrepreneurs about AI driving efficiency. I've had some incredible conversations with folks at Shopify, Lemonade, and a few other companies over the last few quarters, and I wanted to share something we’ve been working on at Yotpo—something very practical that shows real progress and that most companies can implement. This isn’t about AI in our product lines but rather how we’re using AI to drive efficiency within our operations. To give you some context, we have several initiatives across departments aimed at giving our people superpowers, and we even founded a dedicated team under Dan's leadership to focus on this. We’ve made some solid progress, but our latest internal release is particularly exciting. Yotpo UGC runs roughly 6,000+ QBRs (Quarterly Business Reviews) a year. For those unfamiliar, a QBR is where our CSMs prepare a full analysis of an account, map out opportunities for improvement, and present it to the brand to optimize their UGC program. As you can imagine, preparing these decks takes a lot of time and requires a deep understanding of both the brand and its UGC strategy. After analyzing the process, we found that the average CSM spends 2-3 hours preparing for each QBR! So, Dan partnered with Katie and the team to tackle this. Their solution? The QBR AI model. With just a click of a button, the AI dives into the account, benchmarks it against our entire database, and provides the most quality insights, recommendations, and a status update for the merchant. I’ve seen a few of the QBR decks generated by this AI, and honestly, I was blown away. 𝐖𝐞’𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐒𝐌𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 12,000 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐚 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 while improving the quality of the insights we provide. If you’re in B2B, I highly recommend looking into building your own QBR AI to save time and boost quality. If you have any questions or want to discuss this further, drop a comment or send me a message. Let’s keep the conversation going.

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Maximizing is overrated. Satisficing is a superpower. I've been a startup guy for most of my career. I've started businesses of my own, launched media brands, joined early-stage ventures, and helped scale companies at various stages. What consistently makes the difference when resources are scarce is the capacity to act with good enough intel, move with a good enough plan, and go live with a good enough solution. Inertia from fear of uncertainty will kill any lean venture. A bias for action is the antidote. Stagnation from fussing over trivia drags teams down. Learn to recognize when you have sufficient knowledge and capability to take action, then move decisively with a growth mindset and continually find ways to improve. You'll thank yourself when your successes have amassed behind you, and you and your team have learned and grown from the results.

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Yesterday, Shopify announced an exciting new partnership with YouTube, enabling seamless shopping directly within videos and live streams. This collaboration allows brands to tap into YouTube creators' engaged audiences, enhancing authenticity and driving sales with a frictionless shopping experience. They’re calling it "shop while you watch." Shopify is making a smart move here by leaning into a few key trends: 1. Video content is more powerful than ever. 2. Content creators on YouTube (and other social platforms) have an increasingly significant influence on purchasing decisions. While I love that Shopify is directly challenging TikTok Shop head-on, I do see some limitations with shoppable videos from creators: - Creators often don't own the products they promote. When a product is gifted, it’s harder for shoppers to relate, as the endorsement may not feel as genuine as a real customer’s experience. - Partnering with creators can be costly. I always advise brands that their best creators are often their existing customers. They have smartphones capable of producing high-quality content and frequently share polished versions of their experiences on social media. Collecting content from satisfied customers and showcasing it on your website remains one of the most effective ways to build authenticity and trust. Moast is a great tool for achieving that.

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Let's collectively say no to spamming each other, shall we? In EP 002, I chat with Software Engineering Manager, Laura Bélavoir, as she shares her journey from France to Canada, and Drupal to React. We worked together a couple of years back at Commure. She's now at Okta and in this episode we discuss hiring practices, learning Frontend Development, and interviewing preparation. The 24-minute episode drops this Saturday at 9 am PT, just like your Saturday Morning Cartoons back in the 90s 😀 P.S. Ben D. -- I meant to introduce you both months ago when we recorded this episode...🤷🏽‍♂️ and I am just now checking this off my backlog! ✅ ________ Hi, I'm Henry N., a Recruiting Manager and Jobseeker Podcaster. I crowdsource job search stories from guests on my podcast and turn them into custom Notion Playbooks at https://shorturl.at/HhRog // What's your job search story?

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Episode 2 is live! Laura Bélavoir gives tips on nailing the interview with Software Engineering Managers and learning new skills in tech. Link to our 30-minute episode in the comments. Enjoy!

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This recent Times investigation into BNN Breaking exposes a troubling trend in the media industry. AI-generated content, intended to ease journalistic workloads, is increasingly used to spread misinformation. This undermines public trust and devalues the essential role of factual reporting. We need to harness #AI to enhance the news reader's experience, not erode it with unreliable stories and misleading narratives​. #artificialintelligence #genai #misinformation #fakenews #aigeneratedcontent https://lnkd.in/gSnw-kFY

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I used to be skeptical about diversity. Dreading how divergent behaviors impact discipline and focus in a performant team. I've come to realize this perspective is limiting. Let me share the story, that changed my mind: Exactly 9 summers ago. On the tech operations floor of a major bank, a mini army of consultants stood in a sea of ties and white shirts. They were chosen for a high-profile project that kept everyone on edge. They were waiting for an expert to help them nail an issue. Then, like a cool breeze in a stuffy room, a guy from Silicon Valley sauntered in, wearing shorts, flip-flops, and sunglasses. I thought our eccentric visitor was another wanna-be tech wiz about to get a crash on reality. I was totally off the mark. The Latino tech whiz with a laid-back wardrobe? He was a game-changer. Despite his appearance and his casual manners: - he was focused - he was very effective - he was extremely disciplined TL;DR: His insightful contributions nailed the solution in just three days. Proving sometimes the right flip-flop can kick the hardest problems. To solve your hardest problems, you don't need like-minded people. You are better off with someone who is looking in ways you aren't. Strength and beauty come from diversity. Celebrate it. 📌 PS. What's your take on diversity? 🔔 Connect and Follow 👉🏻 Yiorgos Tzirtzilakis

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We just had a record breaking month, and we are not slowing down at Maple. We've just sent out an email to our entire user base, committing to some major product launches in May. At Maple, we pride ourselves on shipping great features, at a high velocity, for the families who use us. So here is what we have cooking: - A new calendar integration. Finally, Microsoft Outlook will be available in Maple. -A significant overhaul is coming to how people will use Maple, taking a year of feedback and delivering on making Maple easier to get in and out of your favorite tools. -Introducing new customizations, including cover photos on your folders. -AND we have made Maple Plus free to use for 7 days before committing to a monthly or annual cost!!!! To kick off May, we are rolling out our first investment to bring your family up front and center. This is both a healthy reminder of who you are doing all this hard work for, and it makes a far more pleasant experience for our tablet users- who now can benefit from Maple being a collage of family photos when it is just resting on your countertop. A modern take on your family photos sitting on your fridge. You are going to love these updates.

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