Machelle Williams has 18 years of experience in the Volkswagen Group, and now leads VW’s Corporate Diversity initiative. Under her leadership VWGoA has been recognized as a Best Place to Work by the Human Rights Campaign achieving a 100% score on the Corporate Equality Index three times since 2008.

Tabatha Coffey has been widely credited for her savvy business expertise, and ability to transform people’s lives and help struggling businesses. In her second book, Own It! Be the Boss of Your Life—at Home and in the Workplace, Coffey is teaching readers that the secret to their success is in taking charge of their own future.

Absolute Value: What Really Influences Customers in the Age of (Nearly) Perfect Information reveals what really influences customers today. Bestselling author Emanuel Rosen exposes how today’s new information environment demands that businesses change everything from communications to market research, and the way they think about customer loyalty.

Are you becoming obsolete at work? Shop Talk looks at strategies for staying relevant in the workplace. Join the conversation at 866-305-6887.

Ed Salvato is editor in chief of ManAboutWorld, the number-one gay travel magazine built for the iPad and Android tablet platforms, which he launched along with his business partner Billy Kolber in summer 2012. Ed is often called “the world’s foremost gay travel expert.”

Chris Heuisler is the Concierge for Westin Hotels & Resorts RunWestin program. From pre-race training to the finish line, he acts as a personal marathon coach for Westin guests both in person and through social media.

This Memorial Day weekend Tim and John welcome LGBT Business Leader Bob Witeck to the studio. He is the President and founder of Witeck Communications, Inc. with nearly four decades professional communications experience in the private sector and in public service. He is a seasoned communicator, counselor, public affairs professional, speechwriter as well as a trusted crisis communications expert. His contributions to the LGBT community over the past 25 years cannot be overstated.

Tim and John  are back from Madrid and live in-studio. Paul Hagen of Metrosource magazine returns to continue his mission of putting the “culture” back in “pop culture” for our listeners on Metroscope.

On Shop Talk we share expert business travel tips—from the executives who are on the road many days out of the year. Join the conversation at 866-305-6887.

Tim and John are in Madrid Spain for the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association’s 31st Annual Global Convention. It is the world’s premier educational and networking event for the LGBT tourism industry. This year introduces several unique destinations: Utah, Vietnam, Panama and new offerings from Japan.

Thanks to Orbitz for supporting The Focus Group in Madrid, and to Innside Genova for our great accommodations.

In her new book Relevance: The Power to Change Minds and Behavior and Stay Ahead of the Competition, Brodeur Partners CEO Andrea Coville, along with journalist Paul B. Brown, take a deep dive into the dimensions of relevance—both qualitative and quantitative. She offers marketers a road-tested plan for creating relevant messages that shift attitudes and—most importantly—consumer behavior.

Shop Talk looks at four unique ways to motivate people, and wonders if PowerPoint is making us stupid. Join the conversation at 866-305-6887.

Tabatha Coffey has been widely credited for her savvy business expertise, and ability to transform people’s lives and help struggling businesses. In her second book, Own It! Be the Boss of Your Life—at Home and in the Workplace, Coffey is teaching readers that the secret to their success is in taking charge of their own future.

Conservative Christian activists have some major brands in their sights. Shop Talk looks at which companies are rated the least and most holy. Join the conversation at 866-305-6887.

The New York Auto Show starts this weekend—a showcase for some of the hottest cars, trucks and automotive technology all under one roof. Volkswagen‘s Daniel Shapiro, Jetta Product Marketing & Strategy Manager, discusses updates to the latest model, and the job of planning a cars design changes over a number of years.

Shop Talk looks at how the effective use of body language plays a key role in communication. Call 866-305-6887.