As a communications strategist, I live for a great story. I recently had the distinct pleasure of hearing five incredible ones during a special CRN Women of the Channel podcast. The conversation with Zebra’s 2025 honorees brought to life a theme I see playing out across the tech industry: we achieve so much more together. Our relentless pursuit of innovation finds its greatest expression through the power of our leading ecosystem, a truth our guests illustrated with powerful real-world examples.

It was a privilege to welcome back former NFL linebacker, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Brandon Copeland to our latest episode of Chalk Talk. While many know him for his impressive 10-year career in the league, it’s his profound impact off the field that truly defines him as a leader.

In our conversation, Brandon shared the powerful story behind his foundation, Beyond the Basics, which he co-founded with his wife, Taylor. It was born from a desire to be a "beacon of light" and a realization that one-off visits aren’t enough to change a child’s environment. This commitment is powerfully embodied in their flagship "December to Remember" event, where each year, Brandon and his NFL colleagues host shopping sprees for children who believe they are attending a community service event to help others.

As business leaders, we constantly look for ways to streamline operations, empower teams, and deliver better results. If you’ve ever wondered how AI could make your frontline team’s workday smoother, more efficient, and maybe even a little less stressful, the Frontline AI Summit offered some exciting answers. Hosted by Zebra Technologies, this event brought together some of the sharpest minds in the industry to talk about how AI is already transforming operations and what’s next.