Michael Kellman

As someone who grew up deeply involved in the Philly Jewish community - from summers at a URJ camp in the Poconos and NFTY youth group retreats to studying at Gratz and attending services in Lafayette Hill - this partnership feels like coming full circle. Today, I'm thrilled to announce a milestone that bridges my personal journey with Ruvna's mission to create safer, smarter schools. We've partnered with the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, an organization that's been a cornerstone of the community that shaped me. This collaboration isn't just business; it's personal. We're implementing Ruvna's platform across 22 schools, serving 5,000 students and 1,000 faculty members - many in the very institutions that fostered my own growth and development. It's our largest deployment to date, and a testament to how far we've come in our mission to revolutionize school operations and safety. I still remember the sense of security and belonging I felt in these community spaces as a child. Now, with Ruvna, we're enhancing that security for a new generation. Our system recently facilitated the evacuation and accounting of 300 students in just three minutes - a capability I wish we had during my school days. Michael Balaban, President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, put it perfectly: "Ensuring the safety of our community's children and educators isn't just a priority; it's a moral imperative." These words resonate deeply with me, both as a community member and as Ruvna's CEO. This partnership goes beyond making schools safer; it's about creating smarter, more efficient learning environments. We're addressing the complex challenges schools face today, from critical safety concerns to administrative inefficiencies, allowing educators and students to focus on what truly matters - learning and growth. I invite you to read the full press release for more insights into this transformative initiative: https://lnkd.in/e4_xtJs3 To educational leaders and community organizations: If you're ready to elevate both your security measures and operational efficiency, let's connect (schedule a demo by clicking here https://lnkd.in/eGjhZz9d). Together, we can create an environment where the next generation can thrive, just as I did in this vibrant community. #SaferSmarterSchools #Ruvna #PhillyJewishCommunity

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Scaling a business effectively often requires more than just adding new hires. The traditional approach of growing teams to drive growth can lead to increased communication challenges, slower decision-making, and diminished productivity. Instead of focusing solely on expanding headcount, it’s crucial to optimize existing resources and leverage technology. AI, for example, can automate repetitive tasks and enhance efficiency, allowing smaller teams to achieve more without the added complexity of a larger workforce. By adopting a leaner approach and integrating smart tech solutions, businesses can scale effectively and drive impressive results. #BusinessGrowth #AI #Efficiency

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🇪🇺 Be part of the conversation on July 11th at 3:00 PM CEST! Our #NonprofitPulse2024 webinar features a rockstar panel discussing the latest nonprofit trends across fundraising, data security, and the development of AI. Save your spot today! #Fundraising #AIforGood #NonprofitTrends

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Choosing the right coding program for your child can significantly impact their future success in technology. Our latest article explores the best coding classes for kids in New Jersey, focusing on key factors like curriculum, teaching methods, and hands-on learning opportunities. Read more to make an informed decision for your child's education. #CodingForKids #NewJerseyEducation #TechSkills

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“I believe that design can be an orchestration layer across the company, unifying disparate groups that touch the customer experience [...] The biggest challenge is breaking the traditional mold that cybersecurity can’t be user-friendly or visually appealing." — Deb Kawamoto I had the pleasure of speaking with Deb Kawamoto today. I'm continually inspired by the work they're doing at Vanta, and the similar challenges we seek to solve in security, privacy, and accessibility (at Stark) as a company's compliance pillars. Great writeup on Deb by Gordon Ching for the Design Executive Council! https://lnkd.in/e26iQ5Ps

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✨Brilliant piece by Michael Stallard-Author/Speaker on Leadership and Teams on Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni's "secret weapon" - the power of CONNECTION! 🏈🤝🚀 What caught my attention was how perfectly Sirianni's leadership principles align with what we're seeing in contact centers using A-GAME Leagues. Just like Sirianni creates intentional connections in an NFL team dispersed across Philadelphia, contact center leaders face the challenge of building bonds across remote and hybrid teams spread very often across an even broader and more diverse and complex landscape. Three key insights stood out: 1️⃣ Sirianni knows connection has to be intentional at the professional level - it doesn't just happen naturally. That's exactly why we built A-GAME Leagues' Xtreme feature, giving senior leaders a structured way to connect and engage with frontline teams. https://bit.ly/3TfXqb4 2️⃣ His emphasis on consistency in both positive reinforcement and constructive feedback mirrors how our Xtreme team owners engage with their drafted agents - building trust that makes coaching, support, and inspiration more effective. 3️⃣ Most importantly, Sirianni's approach produces results! Just as the Eagles thrive under his connection-focused leadership, we're seeing dramatic improvements in performance, retention, and engagement when CX leaders actively participate in their teams' success. https://bit.ly/4aQ2hFr Kudos to Stallard, the connection culture guru, for capturing these insights so well. For CX leaders looking to build their own culture of connection, especially across distributed teams, CONNECT with TouchPoint One and learn how A-GAME Leagues can help you put these principles into practice. ❤️🔥 😁 https://bit.ly/3uIZI8I #2025 https://lnkd.in/gKD--dAZ #CXLeadership #EmployeeEngagement #ContactCenter #TeamBuilding #EX #CX #Gamification

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Creating a Detailed Project Plan and Timeline * Organized planning for efficient execution * Clear timelines for project milestones * Effective coordination among team members Learn more: https://lnkd.in/e3WK9X_N Read our playbook, "Software Development Playbook" written by Mark Turkel, PBSD Founder and CEO. This book was written for business owners and decision makers in a non-technical form, and will help you to thrive in the software development process. Available on Amazon. #PalmBeachSoftware #MarkTurkel #ProjectPlanning #Timeline

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I always tell people the toughest part of creating compelling positioning platforms or effective product demos is deciding what NOT to say. Turns out that’s counter to how most people initially approach things. Humans tend to default to assuming the best way of solving problems is to add something new. I know I run into that urge all the time. It's common for businesses to pile on features and add more and more messages in an attempt to impress their audience or make sure they've left nothing important out. However, as this article brilliantly points out, simplicity often reigns supreme. By embracing simplicity in messaging and product demos, companies can more effectively communicate their value propositions and make messages resonate more deeply with their target audience. It's not about overwhelming with information but rather about clarity and focus. Let me know if you’ve had similar experiences. #MessagingStrategy #SaaS #Demos #Simplicity #PositioningStrategy

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Dear Gentle Readers, A Misguided Approach to SOEs: More Chaos, Less Clarity Transferring shareholder responsibility for state-owned enterprises (SOEs) to line ministries may exacerbate existing dysfunctions rather than resolve them. This approach risks deepening political interference and complicating governance structures, as evidenced by global best practices such as Singapore’s Temasek, where SOEs are commercially viable and operate free from political manipulation. Such organizational restructuring lacks a data-driven rationale. Analyzing the available data would likely reveal that without addressing core inefficiencies, such as poor management, lack of clear mandates, and unprofitable business models, any structural adjustment is unlikely to produce positive outcomes. The failure to specify performance metrics, a clear path to financial viability, or a framework for minimizing political interference suggests a gap between theory and implementation. Ultimately, adding another corporate layer could centralize corruption risks rather than foster transparency and accountability. A thorough analysis would consider these factors, demonstrating that without fundamental reform in management practices and financial oversight, reshuffling SOEs merely shifts responsibility without solving the underlying issues. To truly improve performance, a clear, evidence-based policy framework is essential. Until then, the proposed changes risk being a recipe for further chaos.

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Impossible is nothing

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View from the Office. I met Kyle Kazanjian-Amory, CEO and founder of Don't Tell Comedy, at a show he hosted in a loft in New York’s Meatpacking District. Kyle describes Don’t Tell Comedy as a house party for comedians. He launched the company in 2017 when he arranged a performance in a friend’s backyard. Three months later he quit his day job and organized 35 more shows that year. The shows featured little-known comics appearing in unusual locations announced at the last minute. He charged a small amount because he realized it made people more likely to show up. The events were BYOB to reduce the cost and increase the fun. That modest start has morphed into 100 events a week. Growth has been fueled by taping some of the shows and posting content on social media. Kyle said the hardest part about building the business in the beginning and even today is managing the inventory of chairs. Chairs have to be stored somewhere and lugged everywhere. Early on he would pack 60 IKEA Gunde chairs into a Prius and drive from LA to Portland. He jokes that if comedy doesn’t work out they could pivot to be a chair rental company. After graduating from college, Kyle worked briefly as an accountant. He hated it. On the side he was doing stand up; he was frustrated that the shows weren’t more engaging. As he described it on the podcast More of That, shows were held in the same tired venues and required two drinks. Some were held in bars where comics had to compete with football games on TV. It wasn’t fun. His solution was to host shows in smaller, unique sites announced the same day. He picked places ranging from CrossFit gyms to art galleries to barber shops. I attended a show in a loft near 14th street. It was one of the events that Don’t Tell videotaped. That effort started in 2022 with a YouTube channel and has been an accelerant to growth. In two years the channel has ballooned to 1.7 million subscribers. Don’t Tell posts have helped comics develop their own audiences and get discovered by bigger clubs. Kyle said he wants to be known as the brand that discovers talent. I can vouch that Don’t Tell is nothing like other shows I’ve attended. A friend recently took me to the vaunted Comedy Cellar in Greenwich Village. We were herded in like livestock through a chute. We had to deposit our phones in sealed plastic pouches. There was the inevitable requirement of two expensive, poorly made drinks. The comics were good, but they would drop in – do their set – and leave. By contrast, the comedians at Don’t Tell lingered after the show. The group included Mason James, Nore Davis, Jay Larson, Rachel Feinstein and Rachel Williams. I listened in as one of them — Mason — shared his experiences with guests. All around us the crew was breaking down and packing away the chairs. Somewhere outside a Prius was probably waiting to take them to the next site. #viewfromoffice

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A timely question for my fellow civic-tech friends Following New York Governor's last minute decision to postpone indefinitely (I think this means "cancel") congestion pricing in New York City, some concerned citizens are trying to voice their concerns by reaching out to the governor's office and elected officials representing them. The way to proceed is as follows, to the best of my understanding - find who represents you and get the phone number(s) for their office - call their office and hope that someone will pick up the phone - if this happens, a staffer will listen to you, take notes and (I assume) relay your concerns to their boss Note that in most cases, you may want to read a short script prepared for you by a civic organization (like BetaNYC [1]) with full knowledge of the issue. This is a lot of work on your end. This is a lot of work on the staff's end. In this day and age, can't we have something better? Raising your concern should be easy as clicking on a link shared on social media, proving your identify, answering a few questions and pressing "submit". New York State is using Okta to provide single-sign-on across all its services. Building an app leveraging Okta is pretty straightforward. They have tons of such examples on their website. Why can't we have this today? This is easier for constituents. This is easier for staff members. If the feedback comes in the form of a poll, it is trivial to tally the result. For free text content, yes, could use Large Language Models (LLMs) to provide sentiment analysis and summarization. And each entry has been vetted and corresponds to a real human New Yorker. Why can't we have this today? [1] https://lnkd.in/eTupP57s

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📊 Growing a tech company isn’t just about having a great product—you need to navigate regulations, understand market needs, and stay ahead of industry trends. In my interview with the Boston Computation Club and hosted by @maxvonhippel, I talk about how we do this at Vigilant Aerospace Systems. Watch the full interview for more insights on growing a tech company and scaling in competitive markets. Follow the link below to my blog to watch the full interview. #TechGrowth #Entrepreneurship #StartupInsights #BusinessStrategy https://zurl.co/AkVj

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NY Tech Week in the books (for me), and I have to say, the quality of the events and the content was even better than I expected. Very insightful thoughts and details versus the generic talking points you usually get. The founders I met are doing such interesting things too. I can't wait to see their success and am happy to grow my community of friends in the tech industry locally and globally! Here are some important takeaways I took from the events: - Focus your messaging and product on how to get people their time back - If an investor passes, ask for warm intros to others that would possibly be interested to expand the doors opened to you - You need to start fundraising 6-8 months before you actually need the money - Find a way to get an intro from a founder an investor has already invested in to get through the door - AI could create a wealth gap of $43 million between white and black Americans over the next 20 years if the proper educational and training programs aren't put into place #nytechweek #startup #founders

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🔥 Accessibility Compliance win coming in hot! Every company has a number to move internally — including you reading this. Today we're finally sharing the Stark Accessibility Metrics Scorecard template. Track and manage accessibility alongside your other quality and performance indicators, from user satisfaction and retention to won/lost sales deals and brand value. We at Stark spent the last year talking to thousands of Executives and Managers about how so many of you struggled to not just quantify the ROI of accessibility but, ahead of that, establish metrics — just like privacy and security — to understand the various ways the org is moving the needle forward. In observing over 44,000 companies (with 75% of Fortune 500!) using Stark in various ways, we identified and outlined five key metrics a company can track to connect accessibility and business performance. 1. Percentage of employees trained in accessibility 2. Percentage of projects with end-to-end accessibility criteria 3. Revenue attributable to accessible products 4. User satisfaction from users with disabilities 5. Percentage of compliant products in portfolio The template provides a starting point on which metrics to measure, how to implement them in your organization’s operational processes, and enable your company to build inclusive products that drive business growth. We're excited to learn how you adjust your KPIs and metrics in a way that they best align with your company culture and business goals, and the billion[s] of customers that benefit from it.

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