In this conversation, Dr. Shane Combs discusses the importance of empowering young leaders, particularly from Gen Z, in the workforce. He emphasizes the need for businesses to adapt to the changing landscape by embracing divergent thinking, purpose-driven work, and mental health awareness. The discussion also covers the significance of work-life balance, career development expectations, and the impact of AI on entry-level roles. Dr. Combs provides examples of successful companies that engage Gen Z effectively and highlights the value of neurodiversity in fostering innovation. The conversation concludes with a call to action for businesses to redesign their practices to thrive in the future.

Further Reading & Recommended Resources

Below are the articles that Dr. Shane Combs recommended for listeners who want to go deeper into Gen Z hiring, workplace trends, and how AI is reshaping early-career opportunities:

How to Attract and Retain Gen Z Talent (Forbes)

🔗 https://www.forbes.com/sites/tracybrower/2025/09/21/how-to-attract-and-retain-gen-z-talent-with-8-proven-strategies/

The State of Gen Z in the Workplace 2025 (The Interview Guys)

🔗 https://blog.theinterviewguys.com/the-state-of-gen-z-in-the-workplace-2025/

Attracting, Hiring, and Retaining Gen Z: Modern Recruiting Strategies (The HR Digest)

🔗 https://www.thehrdigest.com/attracting-hiring-and-retaining-gen-z-modern-recruiting-strategies/

Attracting Gen Z Talent into U.S. Public Service (McKinsey)

🔗 https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-sector/our-insights/attracting-gen-z-talent-into-us-public-service

The Perils of Using AI to Replace Entry-Level Jobs (Harvard Business Review)

🔗 https://hbr.org/2025/09/the-perils-of-using-ai-to-replace-entry-level-jobs

AI Is Shrinking Career Opportunities for Young Workers (Observer)

🔗 https://observer.com/2025/09/ai-shrinking-job-market-junior-workers-harvard-study/

Occupational Outlook Handbook (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

🔗 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/

Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI)

🔗 https://www.ebri.org/

Gen Z Is Reviving “Boring Jobs” — And Why That Matters (Yahoo Finance)

🔗 https://finance.yahoo.com/news/gen-z-reviving-boring-job-140916194.html

Keywords

Gen Z, leadership, divergent thinking, employee engagement, mental health, work-life balance, purpose-driven work, AI in the workplace, neurodiversity, career development

🎧 The Create Brand NV Podcast

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Nicole Alicea interviews George Swetlitz, co-founder of Right Response AI, about leveraging AI for review responses and sentiment analysis. They discuss the challenges of scaling review management across multiple locations, the importance of helpful and personalized responses.

Takeaways:

- More people today read reviews than visit websites.

- Responses to reviews are for prospective customers, not just the reviewer.

- AI can enhance personalization in customer interactions.

- The ideal review response should be helpful and informative.

- Negative reviews can be addressed with empathy and solutions.

- HIPAA compliance is crucial for healthcare review responses.

- Establishing value in review management is essential for client buy-in.

- AI can optimize review requests to increase customer engagement.

- Data analysis is key to making informed business decisions.

- Hiring the right team members is often a matter of luck and fit.

Chapters:

Introduction to RightResponse AI and George Swetlitz

The Importance of Online Reviews for Businesses

The Transition from Business to Software Development

Leveraging AI for Review Responses

Personalizing Responses with AI

Understanding Sentiment Analysis in Reviews

Crafting the Ideal Review Response

Navigating Negative Reviews Effectively

Addressing HIPAA Concerns in Healthcare Reviews

Navigating Customer Feedback and Responses

Establishing Value in AI for Reviews

The Importance of Client Engagement in AI Systems

Personalizing Review Requests for Better Engagement

Optimizing for AI and Zero Click Searches

Understanding the Competitive Landscape

Hiring and Team Building Best Practices

Leveraging Data for Strategic Decisions

Closing Thoughts on Collaboration and Innovation

Nicole sits down with entrepreneur, speaker, and “Medicare Matchmaker” Rosie Paulsen to unpack a life powered by grit, faith, and focus. From selling her first agency to leading Simple & Reliable Insurance Services (SNR), Rosie shares how moving from tactics without strategy to a true North Star grew her business 600% and how small, daily improvements compound into big wins.

They dig into personal branding (why you are your company’s biggest asset), the DISC assessment and smart delegation, resilience after setbacks, serving the community (Florida Commission on the Status of Women), and building multigenerational wealth. Rosie also debuts her mantra: “Choosing is an attitude of power.”

You’ll learn:

• Strategy vs. tactics: how to stop drifting and grow with intention
• Why authenticity beats polish (and attracts the right clients)
• Leadership that drives 100% producer engagement
• How to diversify your services and think legacy, not just income

Connect with Rosie: rosiepaulsen.com • @therealrosiepaulsen

Book: Ñeque: Resilience, Purpose & Grit