Episode #305: Clement Kao
Clement Kao is the founder of Product Teacher and a former product manager who’s obsessed with helping people build offerings customers actually love. From UC Berkeley molecular & cell biology grad to management consultant, user researcher, and PM who helped a company through IPO, Clement has lived the full product lifecycle—and now teaches it in plain English for operators and aspiring PMs alike.
Episode #228: Ted
Ted (ActivEngage): Turning Millions of Dealer Conversations into Better Car-Buying Experiences Who he is: Ted, Executive Chairman and founder of ActivEngage, has nearly three decades in automotive—starting from washing cars to leading e-commerce at AutoNation—and has built one of the industry’s most trusted managed messaging platforms. His team powers chat, text, social messaging (and even calls in some cases) for dealerships, OEMs, and marketplaces—running 24/7 and training agents on millions of real conversations to deliver faster, more empathetic customer experiences. Why he matters: ActivEngage effectively defined the modern “managed chat for dealers” space. By combining purpose-built software with a trained human team, Ted helps dealerships of every size increase response speed, cut staffing complexity, and guide shoppers with empathy through high-stakes decisions like service appointments and vehicle purchases. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVMT7239fAA 5 Key Takeaways from this Episode: Managed service first, software second: ActivEngage launched as a managed service to guarantee quality, training, and oversight—then productized the software for broader use. Humans > chatbots (for now): Bots assist internally, but consumers “absolutely prefer” real people for nuanced, high-value conversations; response time in seconds keeps shoppers engaged. Economies of scale for dealers: 24/7 coverage in-house requires multiple hires and constant training; sharing a specialized team delivers better coverage at lower cost. Data-driven improvement: Millions of chats are analyzed daily for topics, satisfaction, and consistency—insights that refine training and (carefully) power AI assistance behind the scenes. Omnichannel, end-to-end support: From dealership and OEM sites to marketplaces like AutoTrader, ActivEngage helps shoppers compare vehicles, check availability, and even navigate digital retailing tools (e.g., Roadster, Darwin, Cox Accelerate). Watch the full interview now on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVMT7239fAA Memorable Quote: People absolutely prefer, you know, live communication with a real person.” Want to be a Guest on our Show? Apply Now Connect with Ted Linkedin Globe
Episode #184: Eric Frankel – CEO & Founder of AdGreets
Tania Khazaal (Tanya the Herbalist), CEO of Your Life Tania Khazaal—better known as Tanya the Herbalist—is a coach, creator, and community builder helping people reclaim health, purpose, and agency. After witnessing her mother’s decline on pharmaceuticals, Tania dove into herbalism, rebuilt her own well-being, and transformed a tea side-hustle into a seven-figure, mission-driven brand. Today, through CEO of Your Life and her She’s Empowered community, she champions faith, emotional resilience, and practical daily habits that create lasting change. In this episode, Tania shares how she shifted from corporate life and basement tea packing to digital products, courses, and coaching—while keeping her compass set on faith, family, and service. Her framework centers on four pillars (inner world/spirituality, lifestyle & well-being, relationships, and vision/legacy) and a deceptively simple cadence: 18 minutes a day. Top Takeaways From crisis to calling: Her mother’s health battle sparked a deep dive into herbalism and holistic healing, leading to a purpose-led business. Product → platform: Moving from physical teas to ebooks, funnels, and courses unlocked scale and financial freedom. Four-pillar operating system: Inner world (faith), health, relationships, and vision—progress across all four creates durable happiness. Relationships matter: She spotlights estrangement as a “silent epidemic” and teaches emotional regulation over cut-off culture. 18 minutes a day: Small, daily commitments compound to ~100 hours/year—enough to change your health, business, and life. Ready to be the CEO of your life? Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42QHMV4EYW0 (search: “Clicks and Bricks Tanya the Herbalist”) Memorable Quote: “You can literally change your entire life in 10 years with 18 minutes a day.” Want to be a Guest on our Show? Apply Now Connect with Tania Linkedin Instagram Facebook