Best Josh Elkin Podcasts (2025)

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#40 - Pete Wissinger—Crit(ical Thinking Skill)s and Trick(y question)s: A Back to School Special 1:27:53

Play Pause

22d ago1:27:53

1:27:53

Intertextual Experience is now over the hill with its 40th guest and is also over the moon that it’s with designer, developer, and podcaster, Pete Wissinger. Pete’s also a teacher, so this episode thinks about the relationships between teaching and gaming as well as how the unique schedule of being a teacher can aid and/or hinder being creative in …

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#39 - Connie Vogelmann—Bee, Beeing, Beeen: A Cleansing Space Flight 1:05:24

1M ago1:05:24

1:05:24

What does it mean to exist? In a world where humans are essentially replaced by bees that have evolved in their sentience and capabilities (primarily in space travel, as they already were super capable), that’s a question for them to deal with. Anyway/fortunately, designer Connie Vogelmann is the captain of the cosmic journey that is this show’s 39…

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#38 - Mr Ben: (Mr) Ben or Nothing [Mystery Box #1] 1:38:10

2M ago1:38:10

1:38:10

Mr Ben, a creator with many hats, joins the show to talk about his online store, travel-games.co.uk and the different sides of the hobby travel-games is entering by way of design, publication, localization, mystery boxes that expose people to a variety of games coming out of the Tokyo Game Market, and much more. Instead of blathering on, I’ll leave…

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Vodcast 6 - Early Access? — Intertextual Experience: A Board Game Podcast 51:35

3M ago51:35

51:35

You'll need to listen to the full episode for more details, but there's a giveaway for a new copy of Power Vacuum. I purchased two copies because I'm a weirdo (the particulars of that weirdness are also explained in the episode). This particular prize is for the continental US, but send me an email responding to the questions posed in the episode i…

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#37 - Josh Wood: Let's Go? To Wisconsin 1:13:58

4M ago1:13:58

1:13:58

Josh Wood, designer and developer at AEG, joins the show as I lead him on a tour of my great home state, Wisconsin. Despite my chaotic whims as a tour guide, Josh had some say in the destination choices, “drafting” between one of two locations for our third through sixth stops—with those selections discarding a different set of prepared questions. …

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#36 - Chad Elkins: 25th Century Games in the 21¼st Century 1:13:36

4M ago1:13:36

1:13:36

Chad Elkins, Founder and Lead Developer at 25th Century Games, joins the show for its 25th 36th episode. This episode is so piping hot that you’ll need your best stoneware mug to keep it contained. Through a ton of insightful commentary on general development, localization, and reprinting games, and the fun stories surrounding all of these processe…

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#35 - Kaleb Wentzel-Fisher: Power Vacuum or (The Death of The Brave Little Toaster: A Space Odyssey) 1:49:56

5M ago1:49:56

1:49:56

In the show’s 35th episode, we are super electrified to have designer Kaleb Wentzel-Fisher join us and to talk about Power Vacuum and so much more. The stories here might shock you! The puns I force Kaleb to make might make your hair stand on end! That’s all a part of the guarantee that you are in for a more fun time than a stroll down the aisle of…

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Vodcast 5 - Show Noteception 41:35

6M ago41:35

41:35

An episode about show notes with my shortest show note section yet. This episodes talks about the state of the show (all good and more good to come [sorry about any pause 😔], how I obsess over show notes (a bit too much), and genre and how different games have differing ease in returning to them. To keep up the bit about the short notes here, there…

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#34 - Carl Robinson—Kelp: Fun vs. Fun 2:13:53

7M ago2:13:53

2:13:53

In this interview, fun isn’t actually competing, but different types of fun and the way they interact with each other are being examined. As a little thought experiment, which games pop into your head when you think about the thrill of danger? Carl Robinson, designer of the hit game Kelp: Shark vs. Octopus, joins the show to discuss something that …

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#33 - Candice Harris: Musical Board Game Layers with a Percussively Inclined Player 1:40:03

8M ago1:40:03

1:40:03

A close second place option for the episode title was “Meeplekeeper’s Palace.” Also, there’s a little bit of a note in the episodes after the credits (kind of as an epilogue). In the past, I’ve done a couple prologue/pre-show notes; if necessary, I’d do them again. This particular note makes more sense at the end, so make sure you’re tuned in until…

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#32 - Marceline Leiman: A High Tide of Indie Designs 1:45:53

9M ago1:45:53

1:45:53

Designer Marceline Leiman joins the show for an episode that ebbs and flows in such an engaging way, much like the tides and other marvels in nature. Amongst many other games, Marceline recently designed High Tide, which was an extreme success at the Indie Games Night Market and serves as an anchor for much of this conversation. The game was handcr…

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#31 - Cole Wehrle: "The Cole Visitation" 1:36:04

9M ago1:36:04

1:36:04

Intertextual Cardboard Experience is excited to start the new year in atypical fashion, and it couldn’t be more exciting. Cole Wehrle, Creative Director at Leder Games and Co-Founder of Wehrlegig Games, joins the show, and I had the bright idea of having us not talk about board games… In all seriousness, we do talk directly about board games a hand…

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#30 - Daniel Newman: An Indie Games Night Market Special 1:06:54

10M ago1:06:54

1:06:54

Part of me wanted to jokingly name this episode, “The Official Podcast of Indie Games Night Market,” but it would have probably been more confusing than funny. Anyway, this one is a special episode for so many reasons! First off, it’s the first time the show has had a repeat guest. It’s also the first time there have been guest episodes released in…

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#29 - Matthew Dunstan - Relationships: A Collabstraction Prequel 1:11:22

10M ago1:11:22

1:11:22

Prolific designer Matthew Dunstan joins the show in a unique opportunity to link to the last episode as well as Intertextual Cardboard Experience’s famous Collabstraction Trilogy. There are many unique topics discussed here, and, to me, the ethos of most everything we talked about boiled down to the idea of community and the relationships Matthew h…

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#28 - Rory Muldoon: Print and Pod 53:46

11M ago53:46

53:46

Rory Muldoon, designer and one-half of Postmark Games, joins the show to discuss the exciting spaces available in the print and play format. With an upcoming project to show off these ideas in 52 Realms: Adventures, it was a really fun conversation charting Rory’s adventures in the board gaming profession and ways he enjoys designing. We also talk …

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Vodcast 4 - A Late Solo-ween Celebration: Fear and Procrastination in Southeast Wisconsin 53:51

11M ago53:51

53:51

Enter for a chance to win a surprise giveaway (cool, I promise). Ending mid-December (probably the 16th). No crazy episode notes today. I chat about some things to look forward to with the show and beyond (a game I'm making and some videos). There's a quick thought about "fear" in board games, and then I talk about the following games a little bit.…

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#27 - Jon Barron: Halloween Trick-Tacular 1:03:17

1y ago1:03:17

1:03:17

Jon Barron, designer of Tricky Time Crisis, Best Candy on the Block, and a few more extremely exciting games in an upcoming Kickstarter (let’s just pause to link the Kickstarter <<< it’s right there!), joins the show to discuss [redacted], injecting theme and flavor into card games, [redacted], [redacted], proxy decks, and a whole bunch of trick-ta…

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#26 - Jonathan Cox: JonGetsCleaning 1:20:27

1y ago1:20:27

1:20:27

Dust off your headphones and get ready for an amazing talk with Jonathan Cox of JonGetsGames. As a voice that I started listening to early in my time in “the hobby,” being able to talk about Jon’s experiences with board games and how that’s led to this culmination of different work and creation within the space was a real treat. And he designed Spr…

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#25 - Patrick Leder: At the FourFront of Asymmetry 1:17:06

1y ago1:17:06

1:17:06

In this episode, I set up some questions (per usual), and Patrick Leder, founder of Leder Games, takes them and leads a delightful conversation about the company, robots, baby simulators, and other less random things not included in this cherry-picked short list. In all seriousness, this episode covers a range of stories and sentiments, and it’s a …

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#2(4) - Let’s Get Digital: An Asynchronous Interview with ufm (BGA Developer) & A One-Year Celebration! 1:22:09

1y ago1:22:09

1:22:09

These will be the shortest show notes yet because I have more than enough words in the episode itself. Listen for some unique insights from Board Game Arena developer ufm, and check out all of their BGA adaptations here (you might need to have an account to see this page?). Also, thanks for being a part of this journey. It's been a blast. Also also…

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#23 - Justin Jacobson: Tales to Restore 1:14:39

1y ago1:14:39

1:14:39

Justin Jacobson, owner and president of Restoration Games, joins the show to talk about what drives the company, especially as it's doing something quite different in the hobby board game space. In a world of “digital” remakes, remasters, and re-imaginings of all sorts of different texts, there really aren’t many analogous examples in the analog sp…

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#22 - Daniel Newman: New Mill, New Games 57:28

1+ y ago57:28

57:28

Daniel Newman, board game designer and New Mill Industries owner, joins the show today to talk about a bunch of really fun topics. The conversation includes, but is not limited to, New Mill, trick-taking games, punk rock, and how one could make impromptu card stands. With a focus on making different designs more readily available and finding work t…

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Vodcast 3 - Summer Solo-stice: ROVE (a great solo game) and all Solitary Things 43:23

1+ y ago43:23

43:23

Vodcast 3 - Summer Solo-stice: ROVE (a great solo game) and all Solitary Things A hair shorter than the last couple of “Vodcasts,” and that was a part of this episode’s solo challenge. With that mild dose of brevity, there are some interesting thoughts here, and they’re a bit punchier. In this episode, I break down the awesome solo game, ROVE: Resu…

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#21 - Tyler Miles Lockett: Geeks, Greek Mythology, Games, and Globetrotting 1:17:15

1+ y ago1:17:15

1:17:15

Insanely talented artist and creator, Tyler Miles Lockett joins the show to talk about some upcoming projects. Tyler is creating the art for Renier Knizia’s Ichor, Lockett Studio (a really exciting project that we chat about for a bit!), and his HUGE upcoming book, Lockett Studio: Greek Gods and Heroes. Through a long time of traveling and creating…

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#20 - Alisha Giroux: Art, Cats, and the Magical Stories that Happen When We Create 1:24:20

1+ y ago1:24:20

1:24:20

Artist of a million different things (with many of those most recent projects being board games), Alisha Giroux joins the podcast to discuss art, board games, some neat stories about how some collaborations came to be, AI, and a whole bunch of other great insights. Check out Alisha’s work in these links below: Store Portfolio Linkpop for Instagram …

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Vodcast 2 - Balance and Following Greatness: or the Sequel that is Hades II 57:37

1+ y ago57:37

57:37

A just me episode where I (start to) discuss "balance" in board games, other mediums, and life in general. A lot of the purpose of the episode is to introduce future topics while bringing up some of the things I've been up to that made me think about those topics. There wound up being some interesting connections in here too, and I'm looking forwar…

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#19 - Brett J. Gilbert - Collabrestriction: A Collabstraction Episode 1:32:45

1+ y ago1:32:45

1:32:45

The end of a trilogy. Brett J. Gilbert joins me to cap off a wonderful set of episodes. As one of founders of the Cambridge design group that both Trevor Benjamin and David Thompson from the last two episodes are a part of, it was such a great time going back to the beginning. The oddly constructed chronology of this episode kind of does the same, …

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#18 - David Thompson: Collabstraction 2: The Collabstractioning 1:36:07

1+ y ago1:36:07

1:36:07

In the rare sequel that’s just as good as its predecessor, David Thompson joins the show for “Collabstraction 2: The Collabstractioning.” We talk about some similar ideas in the topics of collaboration and abstraction, but we also discuss the ideas of sequels/iterations/expansions. It was really interesting getting to hear the slight differences in…

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#17 - Trevor Benjamin: Collabstraction 1:46:48

1+ y ago1:46:48

1:46:48

A wonderful collaborative discussion here with a designer that only designs in collaborations, Trevor Benjamin. Designer of one of my favorite games of all time in Mandala, everything that has Trevor in the design credits is guaranteed to be a fantastic game. Speaking of fantastic, I think this episode is quite fantastic too, so thank you for tunin…

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Vodcast 1 - Apocalands/Duel 56:46

1+ y ago56:46

56:46

The first ever "Vodcast." So while a warning that this one is just me is potentially apt, it's a huge step up from the "Yearly Reflection" episode. Part of the reason this exists is due to the fact that now is my turbo-busy season. Another reason it exists is because there are some good thoughts in here that I want to keep continuing in this Vodcas…

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#16 - Ruel Gaviola: A Couple of Word Nerds 59:49

1+ y ago59:49

59:49

In this super sweet episode, Ruel and I have a fantastic talk about all of the things he’s currently working on, some of his life’s stories, and connections between books and board games. To put most of everything in one spot (and that EVERYTHING is a lot), this is Ruel’s Linktree. The Linktree isn’t enough, as he is also on Rahdo and Good Time Soc…

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#15 - Luis Aguasvivas: Tetracast ~ The Episode with Four Titles ~ 4x4 ~ Title-omino 2:01:34

1+ y ago2:01:34

2:01:34

Luis Aguasvivas, writer for PopMatters, his own site, and numerous other video game journals, joins me for an episode primarily about the video game Tetris. The episode is a journey from very poignant and personal reflections on the way the game has impacted Luis to funny moments about speed-running board games to the history of Tetris to many othe…

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#14 - Brigette Indelicato: Thick Plots and Sick Fonts 1:15:52

1+ y ago1:15:52

1:15:52

Join this fantastic episode, as Brigette leads me (and subsequently all of you) on a board game journey through several unique lenses. Check out all of her amazing work here and the rest of this episode for her insight. Intro (0:00) Brigette’s professional graphic design experience linked up with her board gaming in a way that led to her designing …

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#13 - Eric & The Board Game Dojo: Crossovers and Transitions – not (really) a basketball episode 1:49:25

1+ y ago1:49:25

1:49:25

This episode’s notes start at the end. Eric partnered up with his friend Ben from https://travel-games.co.uk/ to put together these really awesome Tokyo Game Market Bundles. So while this is a kind of plug, it’s really not (but you should look at them, and they’re looking to replenish ones that sell out too [I think the whole initial lot sold out i…

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#12 - Steven Aramini: “This Game Ain’t Big Enough for the Two of Us” 1:02:14

2y ago1:02:14

1:02:14

Steven recently released Fliptown, which has got me absolutely hooked. That's no surprise, as many of his other co-designs are ones that I have binged/still am binging. Check out Steven's work and Twitter. Exposition Steven's intro into games and game design. A new segment has emerged: "Vod Poorly Explaining Your Game" or VPEYG (the "y" is silent) …

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#11 - Jon Perry: Podcast 5[0] 1:20:08

2y ago1:20:08

1:20:08

Jon Perry, designer of some of my favorite games, comes to talk about all his creative endeavors in this excellent episode. Check out Spots, Air, Land & Sea, Time Barons, Scape Goat, and all future output (some mentioned in this episode!). Jon's website is a great place to look at these games and his work in other mediums. I cannot overstate how ex…

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#10 - Dan Thurot: "Buncha Non-answers" 1:23:21

2y ago1:23:21

1:23:21

Dan Thurot of Space-Biff! joins me for a very special episode ten. Join us and the episode formerly known as "TBDBD" for questions, (non)answers, thoughtfulness, fun, and everything in-between. "These Are My Impressions" (9:27) < chapter title inspired by Usher's "Confessions Part II" Dan receives his assignment for the podcast while we reflect on …

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#9 - VICES - A Yearly Reflection (of sorts) 58:47

2y ago58:47

58:47

Possible Acronym Interpretations: Very In(dividual)(tertextual) Cardboard Experience Special Veritably (sorry that) It’s (a non-)Conversation (but just me) Existentially Spiraling <<< typed this before recording either version of this episode, and it wound up being way too self-fulfilling Vanilla Ice Cream Eating Spectacular DISCLAIMER: If you are …

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#8 - Eric Slauson: Researched Party/Story-crafting 1:35:30

2y ago1:35:30

1:35:30

An extremely ranging and fun conversation about all of the research and design ethos that go into Eric's games. The first couple timestamps cover Eric, what got him into gaming, his general research process, and thoughts behind designing. After that, the linked times are about specific research-related questions for specific games. As to not spoil …

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#7 - Nick Murray: A 3D Look at Bitewing Games (Development, Design, and Dentistry) 1:23:19

2y ago1:23:19

1:23:19

An in-depth look at all things Bitewing Games and one of its co-founders, Nick Murray. Intro and Reception Area (0:00) What got Nick into board games and some of the moments that made Bitewing games Reading Some Magazines in the Waiting Room (14:10) Movies/shows about dentists Video games that made an impact on Nick's game development and design Hy…

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#6 - Jamey Stegmaier: Throwing Nine Holes 36:27

2y ago36:27

36:27

Great discussion with Jamey Stegmaier of Stonemaier Games about a combination/intersection of hobbies we're both interested in. Everything ties together in a fun way here. Prologue (0:00) Just me with a quick pre-interruption discussing a slight tweak to the chapter format. The sound effect was taken on a ridiculously windy day, which made getting …

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#5 - Alan Emrich: Victory Point Nemo 1:11:12

2y ago1:11:12

1:11:12

Tried something new, so the episode is broken into chapters or "acts" in the notes here and in the episode. I provide a brief explanation at the beginning of the episode highlighting this attempt, so hopefully it works well. Act I - Setting Sail (4:40) Maybe not the most apt title, unless Alan and I are Imperialist targets for Captain Nemo. Nonethe…

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#4 - Peter Rustemeyer's Paleo: Storytelling, Survival, and Skulls 48:27

2y ago48:27

48:27

Peter talks about his Kennerspiel des Jahres winning game, Paleo. I love this game, so hearing about the design process and how those choices allow players to tell stories while speaking in the language of the game's world was fascinating. Additionally, Peter discusses his work as an archeologist, Indiana Jones (well, I bring that up), what he's be…

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#3 - Liz Davidson: "Teacher of Latin, Destroyer of Dreams" 1:02:56

2y ago1:02:56

1:02:56

An interview with Liz Davidson of the Beyond Solitaire Podcast, YouTube Channel, and design duo for the upcoming Night Witches board game (https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/388558/night-witches). In this episode, we discuss all of Liz's work, teaching, balance, pets, video games, and a myriad of other things. With Beyond Solitaire being a huge in…

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#2 - TTR w/TTR (Trick-Taking Renaissance with The Taylor Reiner) 1:19:18

2y ago1:19:18

1:19:18

Trick-taking, a quiz, development/design, PS1, and a lot of general fun. Taylor Reiner from Taylor's Trick-Taking Table and further influence in the genre by way of development and designs joins the podcast. In our talk, Taylor dives into the nuances of what makes trick-taking games a unique genre rife for all of the current popularity they've had …

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#1 - John Clowdus & Small Box Games 1:08:06

2y ago1:08:06

1:08:06

An awesome discussion with John Clowdus of Small Box Games where we talk about what got him into game design, keeping things as small as possible, Omen (! kind of), adapting gameplay from art, some books, MTG, and various other topics. In this varied conversation, John (impressively) keeps all of my questioning together to tell an interesting story…

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#0 - Intertextual Cardboard Experience 10:46

2y ago10:46

10:46

In this little audio clip, I talk about the purpose of the podcast in a little more detail than the page's description is able to and reflect on the actual first episode, which preceded this recording. A lot of things are currently "under construction," so there will inevitably be changes and improvements as this goes along. Thank you for joining m…

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Company Culture and Marketing Solutions With Greer Lynch of Leaf Logistics 46:32

3y ago46:32

46:32

Greer Lynch is the Marketing Lead at Leaf Logistics. Leaf Logistics provides resilient transportation planning and execution to its clients to gain network efficiencies and unlock a forward view of tomorrow's transportation market. The company is building a more transparent industry-wide network that reveals exponentially more opportunities for net…

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Simplifying Influencer Marketing Solutions With Ryan Hilliard of HypeAuditor 40:00

3y ago40:00

40:00

Ryan Hilliard is the General Manager of North America at HypeAuditor. HypeAuditor is an all-in-one platform for influencers, delivering marketing and sales solutions, analytics, workflow insights, and more. The company focuses on simplifying the processes and tools for successful marketing campaigns while providing a customized experience. Ryan is …

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Building the Future of Work With Heidi Fung of Arise Daily 48:07

3y ago48:07

48:07

Heidi Fung is the Founder and CEO of Arise Daily, a company that specializes in closing the knowledge wealth gap by providing startups and small businesses with expert advice. Arise Daily not only helps experienced professionals connect with clients, but also assists entrepreneurs to scale their business more effectively by allowing them to contrac…