Half Geek Half Human: Recent Episodes
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Welcome to Half Geek Half Human where we explore the intersection of technology and life. Join us on our journey as we the intersections between technology business and life with Anna Kate Ross and Joey Baggot. Powered by Atiba. Are you Half Geek Half Human?
John Wark founded Nashville Software School in 2012. He believed that Nashville's technology talent shortage would never be solved by only importing experienced developers from other cities or by waiting for colleges and universities to start graduating enough students. He also had faith that Nashville had an ample supply of motivated adults with aptitude who, if offered a chance, would eagerly pursue a career in technology. Eleven years and 2,500 graduates later, NSS continues to serve those who seek an opportunity in tech.
John started programming professionally at age 19. Throughout his career, he’s done everything from being a developer to a CEO of two venture-backed companies. John moved to Nashville in 2005 and has been involved with both the local startup and technology communities since that time. He was inducted into the Nashville Technology Council’s Hall of Fame in 2017. Twitter username:
@nashsoftware Facebook URL:
https://www.facebook.com/NashvilleSoftwareSchool/ Instagram URL:
https://www.instagram.com/nashvillesoftwareschool/ LinkedIn URL:
https://www.linkedin.com/school/nashville-software-school/
Today we’re joined by Dr. Donita Brown. After more than 20 years of corporate management experience leading teams of 2 to 102, Dr. Donita Brown now serves as a professor of management at Lipscomb University's College of Business in Nashville. She is an author, speaker, and habit coach. She also hosts a podcast called The Management Minute with Dr. Donita Brown. On the show we’ll speak with Dr. Brown about the evolution of the podcast, what she’s learned along the way, and what’s next up on her management education lesson plan.
Dr. Donita Brown is a professor of management at Lipscomb University’s AACSB-accredited College of Business. Following a successful corporate career, she came to Lipscomb to teach in the Master of Management Healthcare Administration Program. Additionally, she teaches undergraduate management and leadership courses and regularly presents executive education at many Nashville area corporations. Donita’s current areas of research include habit development and the impact of coaching on self-care and leadership. She is a certified Habit Coach and brings her broad experience leading a large division of a Fortune 500 company to coach leaders, especially women, in the tech and healthcare fields. Donita is the creator of the podcast, The Management Minute with Dr. Donita Brown, a podcast for seasoned and new managers delivered weekly. In addition, Donita has written several books available on Amazon.
https://www.lipscomb.edu/business
In this episode of the Half Geek Half Human podcast, we speak with Steve Rucker, a musician, college music professor, and programmer, who is also the former drummer for the Bee Gees. Steve shares his unique perspective on how technology is reshaping the world of music, covering topics from digital tools to live performances and the creative fusion of code and composition.
Steve Rucker is a lecturer in the Studio Music and Jazz Department at the Frost School of Music. He received his bachelor’s degree in Studio Music and Jazz from the University of Miami in 1979 and was awarded his master’s degree in jazz performance in 1983. Mr. Rucker got his start in Charlotte, North Carolina, performing locally and touring with the Funk/R&B group “Sugarcreek.” During this period, he became the musical arranger for this seven-piece horn band, and wrote and recorded their first single, "Runnin' Out Of Time". He moved to South Florida in 1976 and performed and recorded steadily with numerous jazz, Latin, funk, and fusion groups. He has twice been voted “Best Jazz Performer” and “Most Versatile Artist” in South Florida polls. In the early 1980s, Mr. Rucker was a member of the Ross-Levine band, a groundbreaking jazz-fusion group. In addition to numerous appearances with them, he recorded the albums “That Summer Something” and “Humidity,” which featured Pat Metheny and Hiram Bullock. While a member of Randy Bernsen’s Ocean Sound Band, he recorded tracks on “Paradise Citizens” and “Calling Me Back Home,” and performed many concerts internationally, including a billing with Miles Davis. He also recorded “Blues Hat Dances 'Round Midnight” with Bernsen and continues to perform with him. In 1990, Mr. Rucker recorded “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me” with Gloria Estefan. For many years, he performed internationally with Ben Vereen, and appeared with Mr. Vereen with the Atlanta Symphony and the Dallas Symphony. Steve Rucker was a member of the Bee Gees for more than ten years, and appeared with them on numerous TV shows and performances, including:
- The Tonight Show
- Oprah Winfrey Show
- Today Show
- VH 1 Specials
- David Letterman
- Rosie O’Donnell
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction
- Command Performance for the Queen of England
- Top of the Pops
- Live By Request
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Rucker https://www.frost.miami.edu/ https://www.facebook.com/steve.rucker.33/ https://twitter.com/drbeathttps://www.linkedin.com/in/steverucker/ https://www.instagram.com/steverucker
In this episode of the Half Geek Half Human podcast, we are joined by one of Atiba’s top Software Developers, Ashton Bailey. We speak with Ashton about what it takes to build a mobile app - everything from how to choose a framework and overall technical approach to what goes into creating the timeline and budget. We also cover how software development, and mobile development in particular, are constantly changing and how developers can keep up.
This episode will cover:
- Cross platform versus native
- Challenges for apps using Bluetooth
- What “gestures” means for mobile apps
- Different variables necessary for app development
- What a client needs to have in place prior to building an app
- Defining front end and back end for mobile apps
- Timelines and costs variables for mobile app development
- Mobile app maintenance after deployment
- Cross platforms for mobile apps
- Publishing to app stores and their challenges
- Identifying and dealing with mobile app bugs
- Mobile app QC and testing
- Where apps live
- How mobile app developers stay relevant with changing technology
- Resources for mobile app developers
- Benefits of working with an agency to develop a mobile app
- Are mobile apps here to stay?
In this episode of the Half Geek Half Human podcast we are joined by Katie Ritter who oversees the Edge•U Badges program. Learn how the program helps students, teachers and dristricts – and how Covid changed everything.
Dr. Katie Ritter is the Chief Learning Officer at Forward Edge. Katie was named one of the Top 100 Influencers in Edtech in 2023, and a finalist in the Visionary category for The EdTech Leadership Awards in 2023. She completed her Doctor of Education from Vanderbilt University where her research focused on instructional coaching and K12 educator professional development. She has served on several leadership teams including President of ISTE’s Edtech Coaching PLN and as a Future Ready Schools Instructional Coaches Thought Leader. She is a former instructional coach and high school educator. Katie is driven to empower others to realize their full potential, so they can make a positive difference on those around them!
This episode will cover:
- What is Edge•U?
- How Covid changed the platform
- Deep dive on how the platform helps districts
- The future of Edge•U
- Restart Recharge Podcast
Resources:
https://edgeubadges.com/http://restartrechargepodcast.com/
In this episode of the Half Geek Half Human podcast, we are joined by three legends from Nashville’s early tech scene: Tim Moses, Thomas Conner, and Bill Butler. Together, they founded Telalink – Nashville’s first internet provider – back in 1993. Listen as they reminisce about Telalink's origin story and reflect on how the tech landscape has changed in Nashville over the last 30 years.
In this episode of the Half Geek Half Human podcast, we are joined by three legends from Nashville’s early tech scene: Tim Moses, Thomas Conner, and Bill Butler. Together, they founded Telalink – Nashville’s first internet provider – back in 1993. Listen as they reminisce about Telalink's origin story and reflect on how the tech landscape has changed in Nashville over the last 30 years.
More about our guests:
Tim Moses is a software developer and small business owner who started his first computer business during his freshman year at Vanderbilt. With friends from school, he started a computer consulting business, Nashville's first internet provider, and a SaS company that developed one of the first content management systems. He now works as a solutions architect for the Tennessee Book Company, a small division of Ingram Content. Tim is a father of seven, owns a converted school bus, and builds electronic devices and writes programs for fun. His pirate translator and pirate insult generator have held the top spots for those keywords in Google for years. He is on the board of Shower the People, an organization that provides showers to the homeless and frequently drives the shower bus. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timmoses/
Thomas Conner is co-founder and president of One Eleven, a Nashville-based digital agency, specializing in locally supported hosting, website builders, digital marketing, and custom development. Former co-founder and CFO of Sitemason and CFO of Telalink. He currently co-chairs the Board of Visitors at Vanderbilt Divinity School and previously served on the executive boards of Junior Achievement of Middle Tennessee, PENCIL Foundation, Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America, and the Vanderbilt University Alumni Board. Thomas is a ten-gallon plus donor and occasional marathon runner. Personal website: www.thomasbconner.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timmoses/
Bill Butler is a founding partner in PolicyCo and VP of Engineering for Advent Health Partners and the inventor of CAVO, an innovative document processing solution. He has 15 years of experience as the founder of two regional ISP’s, Telalink and Butler Networks, and 15 years of experience managing software development teams focused on the healthcare market. He is passionate about matching user requirements with technical feasibility by acting as a translator between the C Suite, SMEs and Application Developers. Bill is a firm believer in the Agile process and dynamic DevOps architecture ensuring continuity and fault tolerance across the enterprise. On Sundays, there’s a chance he’s enjoying a beach day, tinkering on his 1979 lobster boat or exploring a small general aviation destination. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wmbutler/
This episode will cover:
- The origins of Telalink
- Technology in 1993
- Today’s Nashville Tech Scene
- Municipal-Owned Broadband
*Podcast intro and outro by Claudine Claudio.*
In this episode of the Half Geek Half Human podcast, we are joined two senior software developers from Atiba, Caleb Scholze and Greg Matsick who discuss what it takes to move from a junior to senior position in tech.
Caleb Scholze is a graduate of the Nashville Software School and a senior developer and team lead on Atiba’s mobile team. Greg Matsick, another senior developer at Atiba has a bachelor’s in computer science from Penn State and is a member of Caleb’s team.
This episode will cover:
- Caleb and Greg’s origin stories and how their careers shifted focus
- What being a “senior” means in the tech space
- Lessons learned through client project work
- Advice for juniors hoping to shift to a senior position and recent grads
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Recommended resources
Podcast intro and outro by Claudine Claudio.
In this episode of the Half Geek Half Human podcast we are joined by product ownership and audience guru Josh Oakes - Principal and Creator of the Who First framework.
Joshua Oakes spent years consulting with organizations to help them solve product marketing and customer acquisition challenges. He would help them repair broken processes, connect disjointed systems, remove roadblocks, get visibility into their outcomes, and build measurement strategies to support their objectives. But every time he would uncover an underlying problem: They simply did not understand who their customers were.
Without a documented, actionable, measurable understanding of who their customers are, it won’t matter what else they get right. Systems, processes, hiring, unit economics, pricing. Companies that don’t know their customers are living on borrowed time or borrowed money. He turned what he learned into the Who First framework.
This episode will cover:
- Hypothetical dinner party exercise
- Josh’s background and how it led to the Who First framework
- Product Leadership
- Client and Product Types
- Three lessons learned from a product owner
Resources:
- About Who First: https://who-first.co/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuaoakes/
*Podcast intro and outro by Claudine Claudio.*
Matt Abbott is a data scientist at UltraSignup and an avid trail runner. Matt has worked on a wide range of data problems - from figuring out why people skip over the word "the" when they read while working on his PhD in Psychology - to identifying the language you should or should not use in your job posts to attract the right candidates - to solving organizational challenges at scale in Amazon's HR departments. Outside of working on data problems and running up and down the local Issaquah Alps, Matt is a devoted solo parent and loves making memories with his daughter.
In this episode of the Half Geek Half Human podcast, we explore how Matt uses data to tell stories and develop compelling product experiences - and why he has a penchant for 100-mile races.
This episode will cover:
- Matt’s background as a Data Scientist with a PhD in Experimental Psychology
- How becoming a solo parent lead to ultrarunning
- Merging career and sport with UltraSignup
- The benefits of analyzing running data
- Explaining the geek side of data analytics to the average human
- UltraSignup Podcast - UltraData
Resources:
About Matt: https://news.ultrasignup.com/author/matt-abbott/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattrunstrails/
UltraSignup Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0CEDrc3VCg
Kicking off season two of the Half Geek Half Human podcast is Michael Utley of GoEpps Digital Marketing. As CEO and founder of the company, Michael is primarily involved in digital marketing strategy, sales, product development, and operations. While he oversees the effectiveness and efficiency of the company, he is also intentional about connecting directly with clients. His days are typically filled with meetings and calls to gauge client satisfaction and welcome new business. At the end of these meetings, Michael always asks clients to determine the usefulness of the interaction. By avoiding assumptions and actively seeking feedback, he ensures the team is always doing its best to provide value in every effort.
Strap into the DeLorean as Michael takes us back to the future where content was king, but now content with a robust publishing strategy rules in digital marketing.
This episode will cover:
- Michael Epps Utley’s origin story
- Digital marketing through the years
- Digital marketing myths
- AI and ChatGPT
- Advice to keep current with digital marketing and technology
Website: https://www.goepps.com/
Dodgeball Marketing: https://www.dodgeballmarketing.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goeppsdigital/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/goeppsdigital
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gopps/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goepps/
Podcast intro and outro by Claudine Claudio.
In this episode of the Half Geek Half Human podcast, we are joined by Jennifer Poythress, Founder and Corporate Metaverse Advisor and Mitchell Poythress, Founder and Chief Futurist at The Rabbit Hole. Jennifer and Mitchell founded The Rabbit Hole VR, Tennessee’s premier virtual reality provider in 2016. They later expanded to include The Rabbit Hole Virtual Marketing, a niche digital marketing agency specializing in all things metaverse.
Sit back and enjoy as we discuss the geek and human side of the metaverse – the technology behind it and its impact on the world.
This episode will cover:
- Defining the metaverse
- The difference between augmented and virtual reality
- History of The Rabbit Hole Marketing
- How to make money in the metaverse
- The Rabbit Hole Virtual Reality Gaming Arcade
- The future of arcade style VR
- Jennifer & Mitchell’s background - what lead them to the metaverse
- What’s next for the metaverse?
Website: https://www.rabbithole-marketing.com/
Metaverse Training: https://www.rabbithole-marketing.com/metaverse-training
VR Arcade: https://www.therabbitholevr.com/
In this episode of the Half Geek Half Human podcast, we are joined by Jen Spencer of SmartBug Media. Over Jen’s career, she has built several demand generation and sales enablement programs from the ground up and has experience working within tech startups, publicly traded companies, mid-market organizations, and the not-for-profit space. Jen subscribes to the notion that “we’re all in this together” and that great communication leads to great partnership. Outside of SmartBug, Jen is the mother of twin boys and two dogs, she loves football, good wine and scotch, and activating her mind and body through pilates. Weekends are spent listening to books on Audible and couch surfing with Netfix or Hulu.
This episode will cover:
- Jen’s journey becoming an Elite Marketer starting as a client with Smartbug Media in 2013 and in 2017 becoming Vice President of Sales and Marketing - moving CEO in five years.
- As host of The Intelligent Inbound podcast Jen interviews C-Suite executives on growth, marketing, and sales strategies to improve companies.
- Who is Jen Spencer outside of being an Elite Marketer?
- SmartBug Media’s mission helping client’s grow revenue through technology, strategy, and creative.
- How SmartBug became HubSpot Elite Partner of the year in 2021.
- Importance of partnerships with HubSpot, SalesForce, Klaviyo and others.
- What inspired the Intelligence Inbound podcast and what sets it apart from other podcasts, lessons learned and advice to prospective podcasters.
- SmartBug’s resource library for marketers.
www.smartbugmedia.com
www.linkedin.com/in/jenspencer
twitter.com/jenspencer
This episode features Angela Crane-Jones, CEO of the Nashville Business Incubation Center (NBIC) who is focused on cultivating the growth and development of small business owners for women, minorities, and veterans. Mrs. Crane-Jones has served NBIC since 2003, being appointed to this role, after progressive experience with the organization, in 2013. Previously, she served as Interim CEO, where she forged business relationships with the Small Business Development Center, U.S. Small Business Administration, IRS, Veterans Affairs, and Operation Stand Down among others to provide additional training and educational opportunities for the businesses at the Incubation Center and Entrepreneur community at-large. She began her tenure with NBIC as Assistant Director from 2003 – 2012, Mrs. Crane-Jones took an active leadership role in securing consulting services for the center’s clients, developing community resources and developing programs supporting the needs of NBIC clients. Prior to joining the center’s staff, Mrs. Crane-Jones was owner/operator of two Dairy Queen Restaurants where she gained valuable experience in retail and food operations, marketing and forecasting. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and Master of Arts degree from Tennessee State University.
This episode will cover:
- Angela’s journey and what led her to a career cultivating young entrepreneurs.
- The Nashville Business Incubation Center (NBIC) and how it serves the community.
- How being the owner/operator of two Dairy Queen restaurants led her to wanting to help other entrepreneurs.
- NBIC’s process of taking small acorns and growing them to mighty oaks.
- Examples of NBIC success stories including Christie Cookies, The Grilled Cheeserie and Slim & Husky’s.
- Advice for budding entrepreneurs.
- The NBIC community and the tools they offer.
- Entrepreneurs’ role in giving back to local communities.
- Shifting the entrepreneur’s mindset from worker-bee to CEO mentality.
- What’s next for the NBIC?
As it turns out, being half geek, half human runs in the family. In this episode we welcome Michael Rosen, Esq., Partner and Cofounder of Provider Trust, a company simplifying storage management and the ongoing monitoring of credential information. Michael also happens to be the cousin of Atiba’s JJ Rosen. Learn how he turned publicly available information into a lot of money.
This episode will cover:
- The many pivots Michael has taken in his professional journey from trial attorney to his current venture with Provider Trust.
- How changes in the healthcare industry background screening requirements led to the genesis of Provider Trust.
- Using technology in the beginnings of the internet to transition from paper trails to online data and automation.
- Basic tenants of the “secret sauce” in monetizing data comes down to doing technology well and thinking critically.
- Importance of staying current with government data.
- Determining as an entrepreneur if are going to be a low-cost provider focused on volume or premium product focused on value and accuracy.
- Opportunities that come with regulated industries and certifications needed.
- Uncovering fraud, particularly in rural communities and why trust plays such a prominent role in hiring and for clients.
- Importance of company culture and values and how they drive success.
- The future for Provider Trust and how AI plays a part.
Introducing some of Atiba’s best and brightest women in tech. Amy Rochelle is a Senior Software Engineer and Team Lead; Rachael Ghobrial is Director of Project Management and Website Services; and Ashton Bailey is a Software Developer at Atiba. Enjoy a candid conversation about their experiences in technology, some of the challenges they’ve encountered, and how they came into their roles at Atiba.
This episode will cover:
- What led our guests to a career in technology through education, chance encounters, real life, and professional experience
- Opportunities, challenges, and barriers women can experience in technology
- Advice for women wanting to pursue a career in technology
- Pushing past stereotypes of what a woman in tech looks like and how to be taken seriously by men and peers
- How patience, perseverance, proof, and persistence is key for women in technology
- Support of underrepresented groups to pursue education in technology
- Learning the proper vocabulary and terminology to talk to those resistant to women in technology
- Advice and benefits for young women wanting to pursue a career in technology
- The importance of more women in IT leadership positions
- How companies can support women in technology and the importance of work/life balance
- The difference Atiba plays supporting and promoting career growth for women in technology
Today we are joined by Janet Ivey, CEO and Creator of Janet’s Planet – an organization committed to enriching the lives of children via education and live performances, TV, and online programming.
With over 25 years in the children’s entertainment and education, Janet has captivated Nashville and beyond with her work. She has received 12 Regional Emmys and five Gracie Awards for her children’s series Janet’s Planet that airs on 140+ public television stations nationwide. Janet has won a STEM-FLORIDA Award for the “Exploring Microgravity,” an educational video about gravity and microgravity that she wrote and produced for Space Florida.
Part artist, part scientist Janet believes that ART and SCIENCE deserve to be taught side by side in concert with one another which is why we knew she would be a perfect guest on the Half Geek Half Human podcast!
This episode will cover:
- Janet’s background as a Cosmic Educator, STEM Champion, Guardian & Shepherdess of the Next Generation of Space Explorers; President at Explore Mars, CEO of Janet's Planet, a space show for kids that airs on PBS and is also an after-school club; a member of the National Space Society Board of Governors (alongside notable names like Buzz Aldrin, Tom Hanks, Hugh Downs and Lance Bass); Keynote Speaker, Emmy-Award Winning Actress, and Writer
- Having given 2 TEDx Talks, how did Janet you turn her hobby into a profession?
- What first inspired Janet to become involved in space
- Having a degree in the Arts and not something in science, what advice would Janet give to budding technologists about their paths
- What are some of the biggest barriers to inspiring this love of STEAM and developing more technologists?
- The next space event Janet is most excited about
Resources:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/janetsplanet/
https://www.janetsplanet.com/about
https://styleblueprint.com/everyday/janet-ivey-janets-planet-faces-south/
We are joined by John Bass and Les Wilkenson, who are respectively CEO and Chief Development Officer of Hashed Health, an innovation firm focused on accelerating the meaningful development of blockchain and distributed ledger technologies for the industry. Hashed Health works to build solutions which leverage blockchain to solve some of the most important challenges facing this sector.
John and Les will be discussing Web3 which is being touted as the future of the internet. But what is Web3 exactly?
This episode will cover:
- John and Les' backgrounds in technology for the healthcare sector
- What is Web3, and why is it so hard for people to understand?
- Hashed Health and Venture Studio
- John and Les - then and now
- Technology in Healthcare
- The adoption/understanding of Blockchain/Web3 in Nashville
Who better to kick off Atiba’s podcast than its founder JJ Rosen. In this episode, It’s Not Business, It’s Personal, JJ reveals his journey building Atiba and why in business, it is always personal.
JJ Rosen founded Atiba circa 1992 in Nashville, TN as a one-stop-shop for IT services, software development services, website design, and tech consulting. Since then they have worked for over 1600 clients of all types and sizes throughout the U.S. providing tech services for businesses ranging in size from one to over 10,000 employees. They have a dream team of IT professionals, software developers, web designers, UX specialists, digital marketers, and project managers to help you with all your tech needs.
JJ Rosen has been in the tech industry for decades. In that time, he’s learned for clients and employees, business is personal.
Welcome to the Half Geek Half Human Podcast, powered by Atiba. Join us on our journey as we explore the intersections between technology, business, and life with Annakate Ross and Joey Baggott. Are you half geek, half human, or a little of both?