Shows
Training Impact Podcast34. Thryv: Unlocking Confident Small Business Growth Through Integrated EnablementWhat does confident growth really look like for small businesses?
In this episode of the Training Impact Podcast, Jeff Walter sits down with Matthew Gourgeot of Thryv to explore how small businesses adopt technology, build confidence, and scale without adding unnecessary complexity. While many platforms focus on features, this conversation highlights why enablement and education are just as critical as the software itself.
Matthew shares how Thryv supports small business owners who are balancing sales, operations, marketing, and customer relationships all at once. Rather than overwhelming users, Thryv embeds guidance and learning directly into everyday workflow...
2026-02-0233 minTraining Impact Podcast33. Protein Bar & Kitchen: Scaling a Better-for-You Brand Without Sacrificing QualityIn this episode of the Training Impact Podcast, Jeff Walter sits down with Jimmy McFeeters to explore how Protein Bar & Kitchen has scaled thoughtfully while protecting food quality, brand culture, and operational clarity. While many franchise brands chase rapid expansion, Protein Bar & Kitchen has taken a different path—one rooted in intentional growth, experienced franchisee selection, and operational simplicity.
Jimmy brings more than a decade of franchise development experience across multiple restaurant systems. Together, he and Jeff unpack what tends to break when brands grow too fast and what it takes to avoid those pitfalls. From real es...
2026-01-291h 06Training Impact Podcast32. Secretsos: The Power of Operational ClarityWhat happens when a business grows faster than its systems?
In this episode of the Training Impact Podcast, Jeff Walter speaks with April Porter, co-founder of Secretsos, about why operational clarity is often the missing ingredient in organizations struggling to scale.
Many companies invest heavily in people, technology, and culture, yet still experience friction, burnout, inconsistent execution, and stalled growth. April explains that these challenges are rarely caused by a lack of effort or talent. More often, they stem from unclear processes, undocumented expectations, and systems that have not evolved alongside the business.
...
2026-01-261h 08Training Impact Podcast31. Adminify AI: The Strategic Advantage Behind Modern Channel EnablementIn this episode of the Training Impact Podcast, Jeff Walter sits down with Kevin Trost, Co-Founder and President of Adminify AI, to explore how artificial intelligence is changing the way businesses scale, engage customers, and support channel partners.
Rather than focusing on AI hype or surface-level tools, this conversation digs into how AI assistants can function as a true execution layer inside a business. Kevin shares how Adminify AI helps organizations automate customer interactions across phone, text, web, and social channels while preserving transparency, personality, and trust.
Jeff and Kevin discuss why speed to lead...
2026-01-221h 12Training Impact Podcast30. Business Alliance, Inc. On Operational Excellence and Essential Franchise ValidationMost people assume franchising begins when an entrepreneur signs an agreement or opens their doors, but the real work happens long before that point. In this episode of the Training Impact Podcast, Jeff Walter talks with Jared Nassiff, Director of Business Development at Business Alliance, Inc., to uncover what truly happens behind the scenes of franchise development.
Jared explains how Business Alliance helps candidates understand their goals, strengths, lifestyle preferences, and financial expectations before they ever meet a franchisor. For consultants, the job is not selling. It is alignment. When expectations, capabilities, and support systems match, long-term...
2026-01-1942 minTraining Impact Podcast29. Broken Yolk Cafe: What Every Franchisor Can Learn to Achieve ConsistencyIn this episode of the Training Impact Podcast, Jeff Walter sits down with Ed Powers, Director of Operations at Broken Yolk Cafe, to unpack how a beloved San Diego breakfast spot grew from a single Pacific Beach landmark into a multi-state franchise system. Ed’s career journey—from regional operations leader at Chili’s to helping build Broken Yolk’s franchise infrastructure—offers practical insight into what it really takes to scale a restaurant brand without losing its soul.
Ed shares how the story of Broken Yolk Cafe begins with long lines, loyal customers, and steady demand that drew...
2026-01-1239 minTraining Impact Podcast28. ASE: The Advantage of Essential Skills and Evolving Standards in Automotive TrainingIn this episode of the Training Impact Podcast, Jeff Walter sits down with Matt Shepanek of the National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence to explore how ASE shapes technician competence, shop performance, and customer trust across the automotive service industry. The National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence has long served as the gold standard for technician evaluation, and this conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at how ASE continues to evolve as vehicles and technologies change.
Matt explains how ASE develops its certifications, updates its assessments, and adapts to rapidly shifting vehicle technology. Today’s automotive landscape includes el...
2026-01-0527 minTraining Impact Podcast27. Elevate Your Talent: Why Play Is the Essential Missing Link in Training ProgramsIn this episode of the Training Impact Podcast, host Jeff Walter speaks with Jolynn Ledgerwood, founder of Elevate Your Talent, to explore how creativity, neuroscience, and tactile learning can reshape the way teams solve problems. Elevate Your Talent helps organizations unlock deeper thinking, strengthen collaboration, and move beyond traditional training methods that rely heavily on lecture-based content and left-brain processing.
Jolynn explains how hands-on engagement taps into a different part of the brain, enabling individuals to access more creative, intuitive, and innovative ways of thinking. Using LEGO Serious Play as a core methodology, Elevate Your Talent introduces...
2025-12-291h 03Training Impact Podcast26. Burn Boot Camp: The Powerful Playbook for Consistent Franchise SuccessIn this episode of the Training Impact Podcast, Jeff Walter sits down with Amber Burke, Chief Operating Officer of Burn Boot Camp, to explore how one of America’s fastest growing fitness franchises maintains its signature experience across more than 380 locations. What emerges is a closer look at how consistent training, thoughtful certification, and a philosophy centered on connection fuel both member transformation and system wide performance.
Amber shares the origins and mission of Burn Boot Camp. The brand was created to give women and families a place to grow stronger physically, emotionally, and mentally. It pairs hi...
2025-12-2254 minTraining Impact Podcast25. Design Pickle: Unstoppable Momentum Through Smarter, Scalable Designn this episode of the Training Impact Podcast, host Jeff Walter sits down with Wyatt Borchetta Platt, Revenue Operations Leader at Design Pickle, to unpack how scalable creative systems and smarter processes help companies grow without sacrificing quality.
Wyatt brings a rare blend of experience across sales ops, marketing, and cross-functional leadership. He explains how organizations can use structured creative workflows, automation, and data discipline to keep marketing moving at the speed of growth. From B2B SaaS and agencies to franchisors and enterprise brands, Wyatt breaks down why scalable creative support has become mission-critical.
🧩 Who...
2025-12-1545 minTraining Impact Podcast24. Dumpster Dudez: The Proven Training Framework Behind Rapid GrowthIn this episode of the Training Impact Podcast, host Jeff Walter sits down with Willie Katinowsky, VP of Franchise Development of Dumpster Dudez, to explore how one of the fastest growing junk hauling and dumpster rental franchise systems built its momentum through simple operations, consistent execution, and a strong commitment to franchisee training.
Willie explains that Dumpster Dudez didn’t grow by accident. From day one, the team focused on designing a model that was approachable, operationally clear, and easy to teach. Franchisees come from all walks of life, including corporate professionals, tradespeople, veterans, and first-time business owners, an...
2025-12-0853 minTraining Impact Podcast23. KTA Financial Services: Building Trust Through Training and Transparency🎙️ A Conversation with Emily George of KTA Financial Services 📈 Training Impact Podcast – Hosted by Jeff Walter
When it comes to financial services, trust is everything. In this episode, Jeff Walter sits down with Emily George of KTA Financial Services to explore how a client-first philosophy, rigorous internal training, and a culture of transparency are redefining what financial stewardship looks like in a post-pandemic world.
💡 From Compliance to Confidence For Emily, financial education isn’t just for clients. It’s the foundation of KTA’s culture. Every team member, from new hires to senior advisors, participates in continuous learn...
2025-12-011h 09Training Impact Podcast22. BlueStreak Learning: Proven Strategy for Powerful ROI in Partner TrainingWhen BlueStreak Learning President Jennifer DeVries talks about extended-enterprise education, she isn’t talking theory—she’s talking measurable ROI. In this episode of the Training Impact Podcast, host Jeff Walter explores how DeVries built a company that treats learning as a business strategy, not an operational cost. Her philosophy is clear: training should perform like any other investment—delivering results, growth, and long-term value.
Redefining ROI in Extended Enterprise Education For more than two decades, BlueStreak Learning has helped organizations design partner training and certification programs that generate measurable business outcomes. DeVries insists that every learning investme...
2025-11-2449 minTraining Impact Podcast21. The Secret Ingredient in Hungry Howie’s Success: Training That SticksThe Secret Ingredient in Hungry Howie’s Success: Training That Sticks
If you’ve ever walked into Hungry Howie’s whether it’s in Michigan, Florida, or Texas you know exactly what to expect: the smell of buttered crust, the energy of a team that knows its rhythm, and pizza made with the same consistency that’s defined the brand for 50 years.
That kind of reliability doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built through training.
In this episode of the Training Impact Podcast, host Jeff Walter, CEO of LatitudeLearning, talks with Al Newman, Direct...
2025-11-1754 minTraining Impact Podcast20. Inside Care Patrol: How Education and Empathy Transform Senior CareWhen families face the emotional, time-pressured moment of moving a loved one into assisted or memory care, it’s rarely a business decision—it’s a crisis one. In this episode of the Training Impact Podcast, host Jeff Walter, CEO of LatitudeLearning, talks with Mike Lamkin, Director of Business Development at Care Patrol of Northern Indianapolis, about how empathy, education, and franchise-level training intersect to transform one of life’s hardest transitions into an informed and compassionate process.
Care Patrol operates more than 200 locations across North America, helping families identify the right assisted-living, memory-care, or independent-living communities—at no cost...
2025-11-1058 minTraining Impact Podcast19. Scaling Smart: How Bloomin' Blinds Trains Franchisees for Growth and QualityIn this episode of the Training Impact Podcast, host Jeff Walter, CEO of LatitudeLearning, sits down with Jake Wharton, Director of Franchise Growth at Bloomin’ Blinds, to unpack what it really takes to scale a franchise system—without losing the craftsmanship and care that made it successful in the first place.
Bloomin’ Blinds is a fast-growing home service brand specializing in residential window coverings, with more than 150 units and 80 franchise owners across the U.S. But behind that growth is a methodical, data-informed training program that blends eLearning, field coaching, and performance metrics to develop both business acumen...
2025-11-031h 00Training Impact Podcast18. Creating Connection Through Content: The Brand Networks Approach🎙️ Episode Summary: “Creating Connection Through Content: The Brand Networks Approach”
In this episode of the Training Impact Podcast, host Jeff Walter welcomes Josh Gelfat, Vice President of Marketing at Brand Networks, for an insightful conversation on how digital marketing, automation, and education intersect to help businesses of all sizes thrive.
Josh brings a unique perspective shaped by an eclectic career across agency, publishing, and tech environments—having worked with brands like Oreo and Chips Ahoy, led branded content initiatives at BuzzFeed, and helped global advertisers reach audiences at Twitter. That cross-industry experience informs his approach at Brand Ne...
2025-10-2751 minTraining Impact Podcast17. From Fit to Flourish: How Franchise Fastlane Connects Visionaries with Operators Who ThriveIn this episode of the Training Impact Podcast, host JeffWalter sits down with Patrick Sanchez, Vice President of BrandPartnerships at Franchise Fastlane, to unpack what makes a great franchise system work—not just on paper, but in practice.
Patrick’s journey into franchising started on construction sites in Kansas and led to owning 12 nutrition stores across the western United States. That hands-on experience shaped his deep understanding of how training, systems, and leadership drive operational success. Today, at Franchise Fastlane, he helps franchisors build repeatable systems that turn local concepts into national brands.
Patrick explains Fast...
2025-10-2046 minTraining Impact Podcast16. Building Learning Systems, Not Just Courses – Lessons from eLearningDOCIn this episode of the Training Impact Podcast, host Jeff Walter sits down with three powerhouse leaders from eLearningDOC—Angela Robbins, Toni DiMella, and Diana Brandon—to unpack how great learning design happens when creativity meets structure. Together, they explore what it takes to turn subject matter expertise, operational chaos, and big ideas into consistent, measurable, and scalable training programs.
For nearly two decades, eLearningDOC has helped organizations build clarity through learning. But as Angela shares, their success didn’t come from producing more content—it came from documenting better processes. “We realized early on that companies don’t just...
2025-10-1455 minTraining Impact Podcast15. Learning Designs: Apprenticeships Beyond the TradesIn this episode of the Training Impact Podcast, host Jeff Walter sits down with two seasoned leaders from Learning Designs, Inc. (LDI): Mary Carter, Founder and President, and Julie Hiatt, Manager of Business Development. Together, they explore how decades of experience in instructional design, workforce development, and corporate training can be applied to today’s biggest challenges—skills gaps, turnover, and preparing organizations for the future of work.
Mary shares her journey from working in GM’s Department of Education and Training to launching Learning Designs. Her motivation was clear: she saw that outside consultants often had more i...
2025-09-1054 minTraining Impact Podcast14. Powering Franchise Excellence: How Batteries Plus Trains Experts in ChargeIn this episode of the Training Impact Podcast, host Jeff Walter sits down with Jason Moss, Vice President of Store Development and Training Operations at Batteries Plus, to explore how franchise training can drive business growth, brand consistency, and employee retention.
Jason shares his unlikely path into training—beginning as an entrepreneur running a carpet cleaning and disaster recovery business, then moving into property management, real estate, and ultimately to Batteries Plus. That entrepreneurial foundation shaped his belief in the power of systems, processes, and training as the backbone of scalable businesses.
Batteries Plus, founded in...
2025-09-041h 07Training Impact Podcast13. Service That Sticks: Ray Miller on Embedding Customer ExcellenceWhat does it take to truly transform an organization’s customer experience from the inside out?
In this powerful episode of the Training Impact Podcast, host Jeff Walter sits down with Ray Miller, Managing Partner of The Training Bank—a globally respected expert in customer experience training and leadership development. With more than 35 years of experience helping organizations embed service excellence into their culture, Ray shares a masterclass on turning training into a strategic, profit-driving engine.
Ray’s journey into the learning and development world began in an unlikely place: a small-town bank branch in Nova S...
2025-08-041h 29Training Impact Podcast12. Training Precision: How Ziemer Ophthalmic Raises The Bar For Medical Device TrainingIn this episode of the Training Impact Podcast, host Jeff Walter sits down with Bill Ryan, the Director of Technical and Clinical Education at Ziemer Ophthalmic Systems AG, a Swiss-based manufacturer of femtosecond lasers and diagnostic systems used in refractive and therapeutic eye surgeries. From LASIK flap creation to corneal transplants, these devices demand technical mastery—and Bill is the person behind ensuring that mastery happens.
With decades of experience in medical laser technology, Bill walks us through his fascinating journey from electronics engineer to building a sophisticated, multilayered global training infrastructure for Ziemer’s distributors, internal serv...
2025-07-1450 minTraining Impact Podcast11. The 10 Workstreams Behind Every High Impact Training ProgramIn this episode of the Training Impact Podcast, host Jeff Walter sits down with Matt Anderson, a 20-year veteran of LatitudeLearning and head of the delivery team, to tackle a critical topic for any learning leader: the workstreams that take a training program from vision to execution—and keep it thriving.
As Jeff puts it, “This is where the rubber hits the road.” While past episodes have focused on planning and strategic alignment, this conversation shifts into doing. And in the world of enterprise learning—especially partner training—execution is everything.
What Are the 10 Training Workstream...
2025-07-0948 minTraining Impact Podcast10. Behind the Smoker: How Embedded Training Powers Tickle My RibsIn this episode of the Training Impact Podcast, host Jeff Walter sits down with Sean Morris, a veteran of the restaurant industry and founder of the emerging franchise concept Tickle My Ribs. Together, they explore how deeply embedded, skills-based training can transform franchise operations, reduce turnover, and create a culture of long-term excellence.
Sean’s journey began in a family-owned Carolina barbecue chain, where hands-on learning was the norm. After spending 20 years in corporate roles with brands like Tia’s Tex-Mex, Red Robin, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Denny’s—eventually overseeing $60 million in annual revenue across eight states—S...
2025-06-301h 40Training Impact Podcast9. From the Heart of the Community: How Academy 4 Trains 6,500 Volunteers to Mentor One-on-OneIn this inspiring episode of the Training Impact Podcast, host Jeff Walter sits down with Susan Demers, Manager of Learning and Development at Academy 4, a Texas-based nonprofit delivering one-on-one mentorship to fourth graders in Title I schools. The conversation redefines what "extended enterprise learning" means—moving beyond franchises and partners to focus on volunteer training in the nonprofit sector.
Susan walks us through the remarkable scale of Academy 4’s program, which pairs one volunteer with every fourth grader in 60 schools, reaching over 6,500 students in the upcoming year. These aren’t group mentoring sessions—each child gets an individu...
2025-06-2348 min
Built to Scale: B2B Growth with Rym BenchaarElevating Extended Enterprise Learning – Jeff Walter of LatitudeLearningIn this episode of Built to Scale: B2B Growth, we speak with Jeff Walter, Founder and CEO of LatitudeLearning, Inc., about transforming learning management for extended enterprise customers. Jeff brings over 30 years of experience in software across manufacturing, healthcare, insurance, and financial services.He shares how LatitudeLearning helps organizations train partners, resellers, dealers, and end-users through a scalable SaaS LMS construction. With its award‑winning SurefireSetup methodology, Jeff discusses how to turn training programs into strategic business assets that boost engagement, performance, and retention.Whether you lead training in...
2025-06-1818 minTraining Impact Podcast8. Soft Skills, Real Impact: The Vertus Approach to Conflict ResolutionIn this powerful and thought-provoking episode of the Training Impact Podcast, host Jeff Walter sits down with Rubens Tilkian—trial lawyer, master coach, mediator, and founder of Vertus Conflict Solutions. With over 70,000 resolved agreements and more than 550 professionals trained, Rubens brings deep experience and personal insight into one of the most overlooked elements of organizational success: conflict resolution through proactive training.
Rubens begins by reflecting on his legal background in Brazil, where even courtroom victories often left clients emotionally unsatisfied. This disconnect led him to an important realization: true resolution is not about winning a case, but ab...
2025-06-051h 31Training Impact Podcast7. IFA World Franchise Show: Turn Your Franchise Training into a Strategic AssetIn this powerful episode of the Training Impact Podcast, we spotlight Jeff Walter, Founder and CEO of LatitudeLearning, and his thought-provoking session at the 2025 IFA World Franchise Show. With over 20 years in Learning and Development, Walter brings clarity and urgency to a message franchisors need to hear: franchise training isn’t just a necessity—it’s a strategic weapon.
Walter opens by challenging the conventional belief that training is simply a cost of doing business. He explains how many executive teams instinctively fund sales, marketing, and product development as strategic investments while relegating training to operational overhead. His ar...
2025-06-0337 minTraining Impact Podcast6. The Core Difference: Partner vs. Employee Training ExplainedIn this unique episode of the Training Impact Podcast, Jeff Walter takes listeners on a reflective hike through the woods of Northern Michigan to answer a deceptively simple question: What makes partner training different from employee training? What begins as a casual query from a colleague unfolds into an in-depth comparison that explores the core design, objectives, and administration of two fundamentally different learning models.
Walter emphasizes the key distinction—focus. Employee training is inherently individual-centric, designed around onboarding, compliance, and career development. It presumes an established organizational structure where learners' roles, responsibilities, and reporting lines are we...
2025-05-2925 minTraining Impact Podcast5. How Emerging Franchisors can Scale Training for Growth: A Blended Learning BlueprintIn this episode of the Training Impact podcast, Jeff Walter, CEO of LatitudeLearning, shared insights from his time at the IFA World Franchise Show in Miami. A recurring concern among attendees—particularly emerging franchisors with 10 to 50 locations—was the challenge of scaling their franchise training programs. While many new franchisors provide robust, instructor-led onboarding for new franchisees, these methods quickly become unsustainable as the network grows.
Typically, the onboarding process for new franchisees includes several weeks of hands-on training at corporate headquarters, followed by field experience at an operating location. While this traditional, immersive model is effective in d...
2025-05-2122 minTraining Impact Podcast4. The Five Stages of Training Program Evolution: A Roadmap to High-Impact LearningIn a recent episode of the Training Impact Podcast, host Jeff Walter breaks down a strategic framework called the Training Program Roadmap, a five-stage model that illustrates how organizations can evolve their training programs to significantly increase impact and return on investment (ROI). Drawing from years of implementation experience with LatitudeLearning and other platforms, Jeff shares how training programs can grow from basic to transformational by adopting best practices at each stage.
The roadmap begins at Stage 1: Self-Directed Learning, where learners voluntarily access content like courses and videos without mandatory assignments. These programs rely heavily on learner...
2025-05-0941 minTraining Impact Podcast3. The 7 Artificial Intelligence Use Cases for Learning and DevelopmentIn a recent episode of the Training Impact Podcast, Jeff Walter, founder and CEO of LatitudeLearning, explores the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in the learning and development (L&D) industry. Drawing historical parallels to past technological revolutions such as steam power, electricity, the internet, and personal computing, Walter sets the stage for AI as the next major wave poised to reshape all facets of life—including education and workforce development.
Understanding AI's Trajectory
Walter cautions that like all past revolutions, the current wave of AI is accompanied by overhyped expectations and potential setbacks. Ho...
2025-04-2025 minTraining Impact Podcast2. Transform Your Training Program into a Strategic AssetIn the premiere episode of the Training Impact podcast, Jeff Walter, CEO of LatitudeLearning, breaks down how learning and development professionals can elevate their training programs into true strategic investments. At the heart of the episode is a challenge that many face: despite knowing the value of knowledge, L&D teams often struggle to secure executive buy-in and budgets. The key to reversing this trend? Understanding how executives think.
Executives categorize resources into two buckets: costs of doing business and strategic investments. Costs—such as accounting or legal departments—are essential but not growth drivers. Strategic investments, like...
2025-04-1824 minTraining Impact Podcast1. Welcome to the Training Impact PodcastThe Training Impact Podcast is focused on partner training programs and how to maximize their impact on organizations. As an industry, we've done a lot of great work at the course level, figuring out how to use technologies to help students learn and how to develop skills. But there hasn't been a lot of focus on the program level, how to have a highly impactful program.
And so that's the purpose of this podcast is we want to focus on the program level, how to develop a highly effective training programs. We've developed some frameworks I'll share w...
2025-04-1701 min
Brandon Hall Group- Excellence at WorkEpisode 280: Extended Enterprise Learning: Beyond Traditional Corporate TrainingToday's business landscape demands training solutions that extend beyond internal employees. In this Brandon Hall Group™ Excellence at Work Podcast, Michael Rochelle sits down with Jeff Walter, CEO of LatitudeLearning, and David Proegler, VP of Product Management and Business Development at LatitudeLearning, to explore the complexities and opportunities of Extended Enterprise Learning.
2024-11-2031 min
Brandon Hall Group- Excellence at WorkEpisode 270: Are Your Employees Actually Learning Anything? Lessons from ExpertsJoin Michael Rochelle, Chief Strategy Officer and Principal Analyst at Brandon Hall Group™, sat down with Jeff Walter, CEO of LatitudeLearning, and David Proegler, Senior Managing Principal at LattitudeLearning, for a candid Roundtable discussion on this very topic. They dove into the persistent disconnect between simply delivering training and actually facilitating meaningful learning.
2024-04-2231 min
Brandon Hall Group- Excellence at WorkEpisode 248: The Impact of Measurement of Learning for the Extended EnterpriseGuest: David Proegler, Senior Managing Principal and LatitudeLearning Product Manager
2023-07-1822 min