Tech Leader Talk: Recent Episodes
Steve Sponseller
The Tech Leader Talk podcast brings together successful technology company leaders, entrepreneurs, and experts from around the technology industry to share successes, challenges, and examples of what’s working now to build strong tech companies.
Tune-in each week as Steve Sponseller interviews a new leader in the tech world.
Are you using design reviews and testing to build a strong tech team?
Today I am talking with Shawn Buckley. Shawn is the VP Destinations at Sierra Space where he and his team are developing and implementing the next generation of power and infrastructure for the evolving space economy.
Shawn is passionate about space systems, especially inflatable space habitats.
He loves attending design reviews. He considers it a privilege to participate in design reviews to see people’s work and see their excitement. During design reviews, Shawn enjoys seeing all of the hard work done by hundreds of team members.
Shawn talks about mentors he’s had in his life and the way that he mentors young team members in his current work.
I’m sure you will enjoy this discussion with Shawn and get some valuable insights about working with your design team members.
“For our inflatable structures, we have orbital debris protection that’s stronger than steel. This protects against high speed objects.” – Shawn Buckley (Senior Director of Engineering at Sierra Space)
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Designing and burst testing inflatable space habitats
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Improving collaboration between remote teams
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Protecting against high-speed space debris
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Mentoring younger team members
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Managing supply chain issues
Resources:
Burst test video: https://youtu.be/TcJuz6JA0BU
Courage is Calling by Ryan Holiday - https://www.amazon.com/Courage-Calling-Fortune-Favors-Brave/dp/0593191676
Connect with Shawn Buckley:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lashawn-buckley-5b246328/
Website: https://www.sierraspace.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Would you like to learn how to create stability in your organization while the tech landscape is constantly changing?
Today’s guest, Stephen Shapiro, will share his insights and experiences about using “Pivotal Strategies” to strengthen your tech company.
Stephen is a leading keynote speaker, author, and advisor on innovation. He has two decades of practical innovation experience, including a 15-year tenure at Accenture, where he created and led a 20,000-person innovation practice.
Stephen has just released a new book titled “Pivotal: Creating Stability in an Uncertain World.” Today he will be sharing some insights from his latest book and the motivation behind the book.
Stephen talks about the importance of understanding your organization’s unique strengths and leveraging them as differentiators. He suggests “doubling down” on what sets you apart to create maximum impact and value.
During our conversation, Stephen also explains that pivoting is essential, but it’s equally important to ensure a stable foundation. Excessive pivoting can lead to burnout, confusion, and lack of alignment within your organization.
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Using a basketball metaphor to illustrate the concept of pivoting
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Negative impact of excessive change in the workplace
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Identifying your differentiators
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Pivoting with purpose
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How to create stability in an uncertain world
"Instead of trying to figure out what's next, what do you do great that you should double down on." Stephen Shapiro
Stephen’s new book:
Pivotal: Creating Stability in an Uncertain World - https://www.amazon.com/Pivotal-Creating-Stability-Uncertain-World-ebook/dp/B0CW1C6HKX
Connect with Stephen Shapiro:
Website: https://stephenshapiro.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shapiroinnovates/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Can your company benefit from rapid iteration techniques and simulation to quickly develop successful products?
Today I’m talking with Joe Pawelski, who is the Chief Technical Officer and Co-Founder of CisLunar Industries.
Joe and the team at CisLunar Industries are building and operating space foundries to enable the next industrial revolution. In particular, he works with in-space metal processing and space debris recycling.
Joe has a passion for figuring out things people say are impossible. Some of the projects he and the CisLunar team are working on include things that might seem impossible, like turning space debris into propellants and other useful materials. And, doing this in orbit, not on Earth.
During our discussion, Joe talks about how to test and simulate these projects on earth during the design process. He also discusses rapid iteration techniques that can be used when developing these types of systems.
Joe shares valuable insights that you can apply in your own tech business.
“We believe that abundant resources in space are a good way to sustain humanity. We think of ourselves as a sustainable company that’s looking out for the earth.” – Joe Pawelski (CTO of CisLunar Industries)
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Creating metal propellants from space debris
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How to recycle space debris while in orbit
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Rapid iteration techniques to build better products
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What is ISRU (In-Situ Resource Utilization)
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Designing and building space foundries
Connect with Joe Pawelski:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-pawelski/
Website: https://www.cislunarindustries.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Do you want some insights on growing your business with digital transformation and innovation?
That’s what I’m discussing today with Michael Lynch. Michael is the CEO of Praxie, which is a leader in AI-powered digital transformation software.
During our conversation, Michael discusses how artificial intelligence and digital transformation are changing the manufacturing process. And, he shares information about how Praxie helps companies digitize their business in a cost-effective manner.
Michael also talks about horizontal AI (generalized) versus vertical AI (company-specific) and discusses practical application examples of both types of AI.
During our discussion, Michael shares how his work as an actor, singer, and dancer helps him in his role as a CEO today.
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Today’s manufacturing process changes
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The AI-driven business process revolution
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Digitizing all aspects of the manufacturing process
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Horizontal AI vs. vertical AI
Connect with Michael Lynch:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelsutherlandlynch/
Website: https://praxie.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Did you know that NASA has patented inventions ready for you to license and commercialize?
On this episode of the podcast, I am talking with Dan Lockney.
I’m excited about this episode because Dan and I talk about a fantastic program from NASA for technology companies.
Dan is the Technology Transfer Program Executive at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC. He is responsible for managing NASA’s intellectual property and the transfer of NASA technology to promote the commercialization and public availability of NASA’s patented inventions.
Dan and I discuss how NASA’s Technology Transfer Program operates and the types of companies that can license the technology. Here’s a small spoiler: any size of company can license the technology – from startups to large corporations. And, you will be surprised at the cost of the license!
Dan shares information about the motivation behind the Technology Transfer Program. He also discusses some of his favorite inventions that have been successfully commercialized.
Why is this program exciting to me? As you may know, as a Patent Strategist I work with tech companies every day regarding patents and inventions. This Technology Transfer Program is a great opportunity to license patented NASA technology to launch a business or a new product.
I encourage you to listen to this episode and see if the Technology Transfer Program is a good option for your business.
“Most of the technology in the Technology Transfer Program is outside of the aerospace area. Example technologies include medical devices, public transportation, consumer goods, and safety equipment.” – Daniel Lockney
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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How does the NASA Technology Transfer Program work
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Program success stories
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The motivation behind the Technology Transfer Program
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Types of technologies contained in the patented inventions
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How a team of NASA engineers designed a new low-cost ventilator in response to the Covid outbreak
Resources:
Spinoff publication: https://spinoff.nasa.gov/
NASA Technology Transfer Program: https://technology.nasa.gov/
NASA Spinoff temperature-regulating mugs: https://burnoutmugs.com/
Book: Shop Class as Soulcraft by Matthew Crawford - https://www.amazon.com/Shop-Class-Soulcraft-Inquiry-Value/dp/0143117467
Connect with Daniel Lockney:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-lockney-bb5316a8/
Website: https://technology.nasa.gov/network
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Are you looking for business insights from an experienced tech leader with 20 years of C-suite experience?
Today I’m talking with Brian Lillie, who is the President of Rackspace Private Cloud. Brian is a globally recognized leader in the tech industry and currently leads a team of 3400 people at Rackspace.
During our discussion, Brian shares the importance of listening, learning, and leading in tech companies.
He also talks about the importance of diversity in innovation and customer-inspired innovation to foster a culture of innovation.
Brian shares insights about his leadership approach and how it was influenced by his military experience.
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Insights for listening, learning, and leading
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Strategies for cloud innovation
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Diversity in innovation
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Creating a safe environment for innovative ideas
Connect with Brian Lillie:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachlillie/
Website: https://www.rackspace.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Would you like some insights on using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve your business innovation and efficiency?
That’s one of the topics I’m discussing today with Ajay Malik, who is an Artificial Intelligence expert and the CEO of Secomind.ai. Ajay is also the author of the book: Artificial Intelligence for Wireless Networking.
During our discussion, Ajay shares his thoughts on how AI will impact business in the future. He specifically talks about three main areas where AI can be applied in business: products, processes, and customer support.
Ajay explains the best ways for companies to take advantage of AI today to improve innovation and efficiency. He also discusses his ideas about democratizing AI and business impact.
Ajay shares insights about the “Studio X” AI platform developed by the team at Secomind.ai. He explains his desire to create AI tools to improve personal lives, enhance performance at work, and enable learning and growth.
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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How to apply AI in your business
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Democratizing AI
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How AI is shaping the future of business
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Examples of using AI to proactively diagnose and solve problems
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Integrating AI into all aspects of business
Book Recommendation:
Blueprint: How DNA Makes Us Who We Are by Robert Plomin - https://www.amazon.com/Blueprint-How-Makes-afterword-Press/dp/0262537982
Connect with Ajay Malik:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/artofai/
Website: https://studiox.secomind.ai/
Email Ajay at ajay.malik@secomind.ai to schedule a free 30 minute call.
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On this episode, I talk about the importance of performing an assessment of your systems for identifying and protecting the most valuable inventions created in your organization.
I discuss a 5-step approach to assess your current systems and procedures. I also talk about how to develop a plan to improve those systems and procedures over the next 12 months.
Listen to this episode so you understand how to perform an invention assessment in your business.
“I recommend performing an invention assessment at least once a year.” – Steve Sponseller
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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How to evaluate your current systems for identifying inventions
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Criteria for evaluating the value of an invention to your company
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Identifying critical patent filing deadlines
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Developing a 12-month plan to identify and protect your most valuable inventions
Questions?
If you want my help with an Invention Assessment or have any questions about identifying and protecting your critical inventions, schedule a free call with me at https://stevesponseller.com/call
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of my latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover my proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Need help growing your tech company? Learn from a serial technology entrepreneur who has created and incubated nearly a dozen startups.
On today’s episode, I am talking with Jay Bartot.
Jay is a Technical Partner at Madrona Venture Labs. He is a serial technology entrepreneur and innovator with more than 20 years of experience developing data and machine learning applications. As a co-founder of several companies, Jay has built technology teams, innovative analytics, and machine learning platforms.
Jay is also involved with Go Vertical, which provides startup creation workshops focused on technology entrepreneurship.
I hope you enjoy my discussion with Jay, where he shares tips and recommendations for launching and growing tech companies.
“Acquiring a tech startup can help larger companies stay at the forefront of technology and innovation.” – Jay Bartot
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Using artificial intelligence to improve business processes
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Experiences with company acquisitions
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Lessons learned from incubating tech startups
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Developments in RPA (Robotic Process Automation)
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Maintaining effective communication channels between team members
Connect with Jay Bartot:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-bartot/ (get Jay’s attention by mentioning that you heard him on the Tech Leader Talk podcast)
Website: https://www.madronavl.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Are you looking for ways to accelerate and innovate your tech startup?
Then you’re in the right place because that’s what I’m discussing today with Zack Weisfeld, who is the VP and General Manager of Intel Ignite, which is Intel Corporation’s early-stage startup accelerator. Zack has more than 25 years of experience as an executive and a serial entrepreneur.
Zack shares his experience in helping startups with funding, mentoring, and C-level executive support. His experience includes founding and leading tech startups, corporate entrepreneurship, and mentoring tech founders.
During our conversation, Zack discusses challenges faced by tech founders and the importance of mental resilience in the tech industry.
Zack explains the Intel Ignite program and its unique approach to supporting tech startups and providing mentoring. He also shares the goals of Intel Ignite and the criteria used to select startups for each cohort.
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Mental resilience in the tech industry
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The importance of mentorship in building businesses
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Challenges faced by tech founders
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Intel Ignite’s startup selection criteria
Book Recommendation:
Give and Take by Adam Grant - https://www.amazon.com/Give-Take-Helping-Others-Success/dp/0143124986
Connect with Tzahi (Zack) Weisfeld:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tweisfeld/
Website: https://intelignite.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Does your business need a people strategy that can accelerate growth?
That’s what I’m discussing today with Andrew Bartlow, who is the CEO of People Leader Accelerator. Andrew has more than 25 years of HR experience and helps tech leaders be more strategic and more successful.
Andrew shares his experience and insights regarding scaling a startup organization and constantly reexamining priorities. He also discusses his principles for organizational success that include clarity, consistency, and communication.
Andrew also discusses his book, Scaling for Success: People Priorities for High-Growth Organizations. The book helps readers identify the core people management programs and practices that are best for an organization based on its current stage and size.
Andrew also shares information about how and why to reexamine your priorities constantly. He talks about why things that worked last year likely won’t cut it next year as the company scales and the economic & employment environment changes.
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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The 3 Cs of organizational success
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Necessary changes when growing your team
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Helping tech leaders be more successful
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How to constantly reexamine your priorities
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Managing change in your organization
Book Recommendation:
High Growth Handbook by Elad Gil - https://www.amazon.com/High-Growth-Handbook-Elad-Gil/dp/1732265100
Connect with Andrew Bartlow:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bartlow/
Websites:
https://www.seriesbconsulting.com/
https://www.peopleleaderaccelerator.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Would you like some insights on a product strategy for your tech company?
On this episode, I talk with Eric Weiss, who is an Executive Coach to fast-growing tech companies. He is also the Host of the Chaos to Clarity podcast.
For the past 15 years, Eric has helped companies build amazing products, engage their customers, find the right product-market fit, raise capital, and scale their businesses quickly.
Eric has been obsessed with technology since he was a child, which led him to the work he’s doing today with tech companies. He loves helping tech founders build and implement their product strategy to grow their companies.
During our discussion, Eric talks about challenges facing tech companies today and how to overcome those challenges.
Eric also shares a great tip to organize your week and schedule focus blocks in your calendar every day.
“Tech leaders can be a bottleneck to their company’s growth if they don’t let go of some activities.” – Eric Weiss
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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The importance of user-centered design
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Engaging with customers early and often
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Eric’s “continuous discovery” system
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The “weekly sprint” Eric uses to stay focused
Eric’s Podcast:
Chaos to Clarity podcast: https://www.fullcycleproduct.com/podcast
Connect with Eric Weiss:
Website: https://www.fullcycleproduct.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericmweiss/
Download Steve’s free white paper, InventLock™ Protection Guide for Tech Startups, at: https://stevesponseller.com/guide
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
In this episode, I talk about the importance of identifying all inventions created throughout your company. Identifying every invention created by your team is more complicated than simply asking, “What have you invented lately?”
Invention identification is critical because you can’t protect an invention if you don’t identify it in the first place.
Listen to this episode so you understand how to identify every invention created by your team.
“Solutions to difficult problems are a great place to look for inventions.” – Steve Sponseller
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Discovering hidden inventions with Invention Mining
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Why many people fail to identify inventions
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The importance (and value) of incremental inventions
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A simple approach for capturing invention details
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Be proactive and make inventing fun
Questions?
If you have any questions about identifying your critical inventions, contact me to schedule a complimentary strategy call at: https://stevesponseller.com/call
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of my latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover my proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Are you confused about funding options for your tech company?
On this episode of Tech Leader Talk, I am talking with Melissa Widner. She is the CEO of Lighter Capital, which is a leader in revenue-based financing.
Melissa has experience as a founder with multiple exits, an angel investor, and a VC investor. This gives her an interesting perspective on how to fund startups.
On this episode, Melissa and I discuss different types of funding options for tech startups – and the advantages & disadvantages of each option.
We also talk about revenue-based financing and when that’s a good option to consider.
And, Melissa shares her thoughts on when founders should consider bootstrapping their business.
“Startup entrepreneurs are the most fascinating people on the planet.” – Melissa Widner
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Different funding options for tech startups – and how to choose the best option
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Raising capital without giving up equity or control
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How to raise capital in today’s business environment
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When should you consider revenue-based financing
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Bootstrapping your tech startup
Connect with Melissa Widner:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissawidner/
Website: https://www.lightercapital.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Do you want to simplify your data analysis activities? That’s what I’m talking about today with my guest, Tim Tutt. Tim is CEO of Nightshift Development, which helps organizations make sense of their data.
Tim and I discuss some of the common problems companies face trying to analyze large amounts of data. And, Tim explains some of the problems that occur if companies cannot accurately understand their data.
Tim also shares information about the constantly changing keywords and phrases used by consumers. This requires data analysis systems to adapt to these changing keywords and phrases.
Tim also talks about improving the efficiency of data analytics and machine learning systems through the use of automation and continuous learning.
He also discusses the process for Innovation that he and his team use to identify new solutions and products for their company. This innovation process led to a valuable feature related to automated insights.
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Process automation
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The importance of user questions to identify relevant data
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Continuous learning in data analytics
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Customer-driven innovation
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Focusing on the non-technical user
Book Recommendation:
The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz: https://www.amazon.com/Hard-Thing-About-Things-Building/dp/0062273205
Connect with Tim Tutt:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timtutt/
Website: https://www.clearquery.io/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Are you looking for a successful approach to implementing engineering processes and building a culture of innovation? That’s what my guest, Steve Massey, is discussing on this episode.
Steve is the CEO and Co-Founder of Prewitt Ridge, which creates software tools for engineering. He discusses what he and his team are doing to build new and creative approaches to engineering.
Steve has previously worked for two Space Tech companies: SpaceX and Slingshot Aerospace. He shares his insights and lessons learned while working for those companies.
Steve also talks about engineering processes that tackle difficult problems in deep tech. For example, his team has created an engineering collaboration environment that eases friction when designing, assessing, and managing complex systems.
You’re going to enjoy this discussion with Steve and get some valuable insights to implement in your own business.
"The most important thing is to make sure you're sharing the right information with everyone so that they're able to make the best decision." – Steve Massey
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Innovative approaches to engineering
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Managing difficult problems in deep tech
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Mob programming and its effectiveness
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Automating the approval process to streamline compliance and safety
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Project ownership and sprint cycles
Book Recommendations:
Terminal World by Alastair Reynolds: https://www.amazon.com/Terminal-World-Alastair-Reynolds/dp/0316362298
The Dawn of Everything by David Graeber: https://www.amazon.com/Dawn-Everything-New-History-Humanity/dp/0374157359
Connect with Steve Massey:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lostorbit/
Website: https://www.prewittridge.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
This is a special episode of the podcast – I’m celebrating the 3rd birthday of Tech Leader Talk.
I’m also sharing my thoughts about a great mentor and friend, Dan Miller, who passed away recently.
So, this episode is bittersweet: celebrating a milestone for the podcast and grieving the loss of an important person in my life.
It’s important to talk about Dan Miller when discussing the podcast’s birthday because Dan was one of my biggest supporters and encouraged me to launch the Tech Leader Talk podcast. Without Dan’s encouragement, I don’t know if the podcast would have launched.
Today I share some of the things I learned from Dan Miller and lessons that everyone can benefit from.
I enjoyed racing Porsche 911s with Dan, valuable one-on-one conversations, reading his many books, and listening to most of his 950+ podcast episodes (48 Days to the Work you Love podcast) during 17 years.
Dan was special.
I encourage you to listen to this episode and pick up one or two tips that will help keep Dan’s legacy alive.
Dan’s Podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/48-days-to-the-work-you-love-internet-radio-show/id178145160
Dan’s Books (my three favorites):
48 Days to the Work and Life you Love: https://www.amazon.com/48-Days-Work-You-Love/dp/1642799785
An Understanding Heart: https://www.48days.com/product/an-understanding-heart
No More Dreaded Mondays: https://www.amazon.com/No-More-Dreaded-Mondays-Revolutionary/dp/0307588777
Thanks for listening!
In this solo episode, I talk about patent filing deadlines that are important to tech companies and inventors.
There are three important activities that automatically trigger a 12-month deadline in the United States for filing a patent application to protect your invention. In most situations, if you miss this deadline, you forfeit the ability to protect the invention. This often means your competitors can freely use that invention in their products because you can’t protect it with a patent.
Unfortunately, many business leaders are unaware of this deadline and inadvertently lose patent rights to their inventions.
Too often, I’ve had to tell company leaders, “It’s too late to protect your invention.”
Listen to this episode so you understand the deadlines and make an informed business decision before forfeiting your patent rights.
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
The three activities that trigger a 12-month patent filing deadline in the United States:
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Public disclosure of the invention
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Sale of a product that contains the invention
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An offer to sell a product that contains the invention
Solution:
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Identify all of the three triggering activities.
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If the invention is valuable to your business, file a patent application BEFORE the 12 month deadline.
Questions?
If you have any questions about these deadlines, contact me to schedule a Free Introductory Call so you don’t forfeit any critical patent rights.
Schedule a call at: https://stevesponseller.com/call
Contact me via email: Steve@SteveSponseller.com
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of my latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover my proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On today’s episode, I’m talking with Rob Whalen about his experience at several technology companies including the company he co-founded, PTO Exchange.
As a serial entrepreneur, Rob discusses when he believes it’s time to “switch” to a new opportunity. He also talks about how his degree in accounting gives him an edge as an entrepreneur.
I love hearing stories about how new business ideas come about. When working with inventors, I always want to hear about how the inventors came up with a particular invention.
During our discussion, Rob shares how a meeting at his house generated the idea behind PTO Exchange. Anyone listening to this episode can do the same thing!
Rob also talks about how his current company found its first customers and how they needed to make some changes early on to attract their “real” target customers.
“I look at money as someone’s time that they worked to make that money.” – Rob Whalen
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Testing demand for a product before launching the company
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Deciding when to “switch” to a new entrepreneurial opportunity
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How the idea for PTO Exchange came about
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The importance of failing
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How PTO Exchange helps companies attract and retain employees
Connect with Rob Whalen:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-whalen-1287077/
Website: https://www.ptoexchange.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
What happens when a successful Silicon Valley executive leaves the tech startup world and joins a Fortune 500 company? Listen to this episode to find out what happened when Atif Rafiq made that move – and learn what he discovered by working in both of those environments.
On today’s call, Atif shares his insights as a business leader and the first Chief Digital Officer in the history of the Fortune 500. He is regarded as one of today’s top management thinkers and is regularly quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Fortune Magazine, Forbes, and TechCrunch.
Today, Atif is the CEO and Co-Founder of Ritual, which transforms team-based problem solving through workflow and artificial intelligence. Atif talks about how Ritual was created and how his previous experiences in Silicon Valley and the Fortune 500 impacted the formation and operation of Ritual.
I know you will enjoy learning about Atif’s unique business experiences. And, I’m certain you will get some new ideas for your own business – just like I did!
“Purposeful exploration is more than just prototypes. It's about defining the problem well.” – Atif Rafiq
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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The core components of good problem-solving
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Empowering teams to think and act differently
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Leadership lessons learned from both Silicon Valley and the Fortune 500
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The future of knowledge management
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Applying Fortune 500 techniques to tech startups
Book:
Decision Sprint by Atif Rafiq – https://www.decisionsprint.com/
Connect with Atif Rafiq:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atif1/
Re:Wire newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/re-wire-6765332215867031552/
Ritual website: https://www.ritual.work/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Would you like to learn how to leverage Artificial Intelligence tools for disruptive innovation? That’s what I’m discussing today with Kevin Surace.
Kevin is the CTO of Appvance.ai, which is a leader in Generative AI for software quality.
On today’s call, Kevin shares his insights on the transformative potential of AI and discusses the need for a culture that encourages disruptive innovation. He talks about how AI is reshaping industries and everyday tasks.
During Kevin’s career, he has been a pioneer in the Artificial Intelligence space since the 1990s, and he was named as INC Magazine’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2009. Kevin has helped build multiple startups to $1B valuations.
Kevin is passionate about the power of AI to revolutionize businesses and the future workforce. He shares tips about how technology companies can use AI to create innovation in their organization.
I’m sure you will enjoy this discussion with Kevin and I know you will get some valuable tips and insights you can implement in your own business.
“If you want your company to be disruptively innovative, you have to have a culture from the top that encourages a certain amount of risk taking and certainly encourages people to not feel that they will be shamed if they do or say something that's way outside the box.” – Kevin Surace
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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The future of LLMs for work and personal life
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How AI can amplify human productivity
-
Using disruptive innovation and AI to stay ahead of your competition
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Ways that AI will revolutionize businesses
-
The exciting future of AI
Book Recommendation:
Impromptu: Amplifying Our Humanity Through AI by Reid Hoffman - https://www.amazon.com/Impromptu-Amplifying-Our-Humanity-Through/dp/B0BYLSCPPV
Connect with Kevin Surace:
Website: https://kevinsurace.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ksurace/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Do you have a patent strategy for 2024 that protects your team’s valuable inventions that provide a competitive advantage, attract investors, and increase company valuation?
On today’s episode, I’m going to share 7 activities to help you create a 2024 patent strategy for your organization. You don’t need to include all 7 activities in your patent strategy. I suggest you consider selecting 2 or 3 activities that are most important to your company for the coming year.
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Review Your Current Patent Portfolio
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Identify Upcoming Patent Filing Deadlines
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Train Your Team to Identify All Inventions
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Schedule Invention Mining Sessions for Projects Approaching Completion
-
Review (or Create) Your Invention Evaluation Process
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Consider an Invention Contest
-
Map Out Your Patent Strategy for 2024
For more than 25 years, my team and I have worked with the world’s leading technology companies to build high-value patent portfolios.
If you want to discuss your patent strategy for 2024, I’m happy to help you map out a plan.
Contact me to schedule a complimentary call.
Email me at: steve@stevesponseller.com
Or, schedule a call at: https://stevesponseller.com/call
Are you keeping up with the constantly changing cybersecurity landscape?
On this episode, I’m talking with James Fair who has more than 35 years of experience in IT (information technology) and leadership. Today, he combines his love of IT and cybersecurity with his passion for leadership development.
James started as an entry-level technician and worked his way through many positions to become a Senior Vice President. During that time, he gained significant experience in all aspects of IT.
Now, James teaches other IT professionals and IT leaders how to create high-performance teams through people-first focused leadership. He teaches these principles to corporate teams as well as individuals.
“Transformative and inspirational leaders aren’t born, they’re made.” – James Fair
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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James’ unique perspective on IT issues after working in many IT roles
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How companies can keep up with the constantly changing cybersecurity landscape
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The biggest cybersecurity mistake made by small companies
-
The point at which a company should consider outsourced IT services
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A discussion of people-first leadership
Resources
Book: Dare to Lead by Brene Brown – https://brenebrown.com/book/dare-to-lead/
Connect with James Fair:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesmfair/
Website: https://executech.com
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Alina is an award-winning professional working with Financial Services organizations in the areas of cloud-based systems, data, and digital technologies. She was recently recognized in the “Who’s Who in Cloud?” report as an influencer and keynote speaker.
Outside of work, Alina gives back to her community by mentoring immigrants and women of diverse cultural and social backgrounds.
Alina presented a TEDx Talk titled “Fail But Never Give Up.” Her presentation currently has more than 500,000 views. She discusses her TEDx Talk and explains how the stories in that presentation have changed her life.
“Let your failures be your catalyst that motivates you to adapt.” – Alina Timofeeva
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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How have failures motivated Alina
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The real value of using cloud technologies
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What changes may be coming to cloud technologies
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Mentoring immigrants and women of diverse cultural and social backgrounds
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Is it time to remediate cloud
Resources
Alina’s TEDx Talk: Fail But Never Give Up - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPZYSBBpRwU
Connect with Alina Timofeeva:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atimofeeva/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Are you ready to unlock the power of visual communication in your life and your business?
Today, I have a great conversation with Todd Cherches, who is the CEO and Co-Founder of Big Blue Gumball, which is an innovative leadership development and executive coaching firm.
Todd is also an adjunct professor of leadership and NYU and a lecturer on leadership at Columbia University.
On today’s call, Todd and I discuss the field of Visual Leadership. Todd is the author of the book VisuaLeadership: Leveraging the Power of Visual Thinking in Leadership and in Life.
Todd discusses the meaning of visual leadership and why it’s important to company leaders and in your personal life. He shares success stories of people he’s helped implement visual leadership techniques.
Todd has been quoted as saying, “Everyone thinks visually.” During our conversation, he shares what he means by that statement.
I’m sure you will get value from this conversation with some tips and insights for implementing visual leadership in your work and your life.
“There are more neurons in our brain that are dedicated to sight than any of our other senses, so we're just wired visually.” – Todd Cherches
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
The importance of visual communication in leadership
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Incorporating Visual Thinking into your work today
-
How our brains are wired visually
-
Benefits of learning visual leadership techniques
-
The importance of visual communication in your personal life
Book:
VisuaLeadership – Leveraging the Power of Visual Thinking In Leadership and In Life - https://www.toddcherches.com/book
Connect with Todd Cherches:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddcherches/
Website: https://www.toddcherches.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Do you want to learn how to use AI to solve your complex data issues? That’s what I’m talking about today with Eric Daimler.
Eric is an authority in Artificial Intelligence with over 20 years of experience in the field as an entrepreneur, executive, investor, technologist, and policy advisor. He is the CEO and Co-Founder of Conexus, which provides solutions that analyze and integrate large amounts of data from multiple sources.
Eric is a frequent speaker, lecturer, and commentator. He works to empower communities and citizens to leverage AI for a more sustainable, secure, and prosperous future.
Eric studied at Stanford University, the University of Washington-Seattle, and Carnegie Mellon University, where he earned his PhD in its School of Computer Science.
“Every company is going to become an Artificial Intelligence company.” – Eric Daimler
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
Why Artificial Intelligence is the economic engine of the future
-
The important relationship between Data Infrastructure and AI
-
Policies and regulation related to AI
-
Tasks that are best handled by AI today
-
What’s coming next for AI
Resources
Book: ReCulturing by Melissa Daimler - https://www.amazon.com/ReCulturing-Company-Culture-Connect-Strategy/dp/1264278608
Connect with Eric Daimler:
Website: https://conexus.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericdaimler/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Are you protecting your Research and Development investment of time, money, and effort? That’s the topic of today’s episode.
If you’re like many technology companies, your team creates valuable inventions that provide a competitive advantage, attract investors, and increase company valuation.
You can protect those R&D activities by building a patent portfolio that protects your critical inventions.
Patents protect the inventions produced by your R&D activities. A well-designed patent portfolio is a carefully chosen collection of patent assets that support your business goals and objectives.
Failing to protect your most valuable inventions with a patent portfolio means that your R&D team is working for your competitors. Without patent protection for your critical inventions, your competitors are free to use your inventions to compete against you without having to invest any time, money, or resources.
Don’t let this happen to your tech company.
Use this 3-Step Strategy to build or expand your valuable patent portfolio:
-
Identify all of your company’s inventions
-
Evaluate and prioritize your inventions using evaluation criteria related to company goals
-
Protect the most valuable inventions to continue strengthening your patent portfolio
“By carefully evaluating your inventions with respect to your company goals and objectives, you are designing a valuable patent portfolio that protects your critical assets.” – Steve Sponseller
Questions?
If you have any questions about designing a valuable patent portfolio, I would be happy to talk with you.
Contact me via email: Steve@SteveSponseller.com
Or schedule a complimentary call with me at: https://calendly.com/steve-sponseller/20
Download my free white paper, InventLock™ Protection Guide for Tech Startups, at: https://stevesponseller.com/guide
Are you successfully managing identity security in a multi-cloud environment?
Today, I’m talking about that with Eric Olden, who is the CEO and Co-Founder of Strata Identity, which is a leader in identity orchestration.
Eric talks about why technology companies should be concerned with application identity modernization.
He discusses how to handle identity security when operating in a multi-cloud environment. He also talks about how to move legacy applications to the cloud while maintaining security and compatibility.
And, Eric shares his thoughts about creating a strong company culture from the very beginning of the company. He also discusses how the culture can evolve as the company grows and talks about how he’s done that with the companies he built.
I think you will enjoy this conversation and get some valuable insights to implement in your own business.
“The most common thread throughout the startup and the enterprise experience has been how critical it is to develop a very deliberate culture.” – Eric Olden
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
The importance of application identity modernization for technology companies
-
Developing and evolving a company’s culture
-
Edge computing trends
-
Successfully moving legacy applications to the cloud
Resource:
Get help solving your toughest challenge: https://strata.io/podcast
Book:
Artificial Intelligence – A Guide for Thinking Humans by Melanie Mitchell - https://www.amazon.com/Artificial-Intelligence/dp/0241404835
Connect with Eric Olden:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/boughtnotsold
Website: https://strata.io
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Are you using digital twins to improve your business? If not, today’s interview will help you understand how to get started.
On this episode, I’m talking with Brenda Discher. Brenda is a Senior Vice President of Business Strategy & Marketing at Siemens Digital Industries Software. She has more than 20 years of business experience and is currently empowering companies of all sizes to create and leverage digital twins to enable a digital enterprise.
During our conversation, Brenda explains why digital twins are important to technology companies.
She also discusses many situations and industries that have successfully used digital twin technology.
Brenda shares her thoughts about how this technology can improve efficiency, optimize product development, and improve manufacturing processes.
Brenda also shares her insights regarding the use of digital twins to support sustainability, such as with farming to optimize water and fertilizer usage.
I know you will enjoy our conversation and get some valuable tips to use in your own business.
“A digital twin is a virtual digital representation of something in the physical world.” – Brenda Discher
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
Successful examples of digital twin technology
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Why tech companies need to understand digital twins
-
The power of artificial intelligence and digital twins
-
How digital twins improve efficiency and optimize product development
-
Getting started with digital twin technology
Connect with Brenda Discher:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendadischer/
Website: https://siemens.com
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Would you like some insights on developing strong leaders in the tech industry? That’s what I’m discussing today with my guest, Kevin Gazzara.
Kevin is a Senior Partner and Instructor at Magna Leadership Solutions. He is a trusted advisor for executives of small to mid-sized companies that want to create strong leaders within their organization.
Kevin also talks about techniques for developing effective leaders in the technology industry. These insights are based on Kevin’s 18 years of experience working with Intel.
Kevin shares his thoughts about the importance of taking ownership of a problem and identifying your contribution to the problem. By taking ownership and reflecting on your own actions, you can create a positive impact within the organization.
During our discussion, Kevin shares information about how leadership training is different in a technology company.
I know you will enjoy our conversation and get some valuable tips to use in your own business.
“What I really found out was I love doing the training and development of other leaders.” – Kevin Gazzara
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
Effective techniques for training leaders
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Kevin’s insights from the tech industry
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Setting realistic expectations
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Taking ownership of a problem
-
Failing forward fast
Resource:
Free Assessment - https://pqtrainingandcoaching.com/
Book:
The Leader of OZ by Kevin Gazzara - https://www.amazon.com/Leader-Oz-Revealing-Marvelous-Leadership/dp/B09B8VYTW3
Positive Intelligence by Shirzad Chamine - https://www.amazon.com/Positive-Intelligence-audiobook/dp/B007TXWZDQ
Connect with Kevin Gazzara:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevingazzara/
Website: https://magnaleadership.com/
Email: kevin@magnaleadership.com
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Do you have a strategy for identifying and protecting your company’s most valuable inventions? That’s what I’m discussing on this episode.
Patent attorneys are important to help prepare patent applications. But without an appropriate Patent Strategy, you may be missing out on your most important inventions.
A patent strategist works with teams in technology companies to identify, prioritize, and protect the company’s highest value inventions. An experienced patent strategist also monitors the growth of your patent portfolio to ensure that is provides maximum value to the company and supports the company’s goals.
A well-designed patent strategy can:
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Provide a Competitive Advantage
-
Attract Investors
-
Retain/Attract Key Employees
-
Offer Peace of Mind
-
Increase Company Valuation
These are important benefits that protect your company’s R&D investment of time and money while also strengthening your team and competitive edge.
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
The importance of a Patent Strategist to tech companies
-
A common mistake when thinking about patent applications
-
3-step system (Identify – Evaluate – Protect) to build a valuable patent portfolio
-
Patent Strategy Success Study
“Although a patent attorney is important to your business, you also need a patent strategist.” – Steve Sponseller
Questions?
If you have any questions about designing a patent strategy that builds a valuable patent portfolio, I would be happy to talk with you.
Contact me via email: Steve@SteveSponseller.com
Or schedule a complimentary call with me at: https://calendly.com/steve-sponseller/20
Download my free white paper, InventLock™ Protection Guide for Tech Startups, at: https://stevesponseller.com/guide
Are you continually transforming your business like Amazon?
Today I’m talking with John Rossman who is a thought leader on the topics of digital strategies and innovation strategies. John is a former Amazon executive who was a leader in launching and scaling the Amazon Marketplace business and ran the enterprise services business.
John is an expert at leveraging the Amazon leadership principles to help people innovate, compete, and win in the digital world.
He is an advisor to companies and leaders who want to innovate and compete with more agility and effectiveness. John is also a keynote speaker on leadership for the digital era.
He is the author of three books, including The Amazon Way: Amazon’s 14 Leadership Principles.
“Continually transform your business by making small tangible changes, learn from those changes, and continue with more changes.” – John Rossman
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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How companies can improve their Digital Transformation effectiveness
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What inspired John to write “The Amazon Way”
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What tech leaders can learn from the Amazon leadership principles
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Why “Customer Obsession” is the first principle discussed in John’s book
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What is the “diving deep” principle
Resources
John’s Book: The Amazon Way - https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Way-Amazons-Leadership-Principles/dp/173497916X
John’s Newsletter: The Digital Leader Newsletter - https://thedigitalleader.substack.com/
Book: The Founders by Jimmy Soni - https://www.amazon.com/Founders-Paypal-Entrepreneurs-Shaped-Silicon/dp/1501197266
Connect with John Rossman:
Website: http://rossmanpartners.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-rossman/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Is your approach to innovation predictable?
On this episode, Tony Ulwick and I discuss his innovation process that’s been used by companies around the world.
Tony is the inventor of the Outcome-Driven Innovation® (ODI) process and founder of strategy and innovation consulting firm, Strategyn. He has applied his ODI process at some of the world's leading companies and across nearly all industries to create breakthrough innovations - achieving a success rate that is five times better than the industry average.
Tony has been credited with bringing predictability to innovation. He has been published in the Harvard Business Review and the MIT Sloan Management Review.
Tony is the author of two best sellers: What Customers Want and Jobs-to-be-Done: Theory to Practice. Tony is also an inventor with 12 patents granted on his inventions.
“First discover unmet needs, then create solutions for those unmet needs.” – Tony Ulwick
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
How companies can improve their innovation success rate
-
The Jobs-to-be-Done process
-
IBM’s billion dollar mistake
-
How the ODI process is different from other innovation systems
-
Yes, you can bring predictability to innovation
Resources:
Free book: https://jobs-to-be-done-book.com/
Tony’s blog: https://jobs-to-be-done.com/
Connect with Tony Ulwick:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonyulwick/
Website: https://strategyn.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Would you like to learn how to validate your business startup idea or business expansion plans? That’s the topic of this episode.
Today I’m talking with Parth Trivedi, who is the CEO of Skylo Technologies which provides a non-terrestrial network (NTN) that connects devices around the world. In his role as CEO, Parth is responsible for leading business operations including long-term goals, growth, profitability, and overall vision.
During our discussion, Parth shares information about how his team validated their startup idea when creating Skylo Technologies. This included seeking critical feedback from independent advisors and potential customers.
Parth also talks about how he and his team approach innovation in an ever-changing market. They focus on developing new systems that change their industry.
Parth shares information about the challenges of designing new products that must operate within existing constraints, such as existing hardware systems and user behavior.
I’m sure you will enjoy this discussion and pick up some valuable tips to use in your own business.
“Get out there. Talk to customers. Talk to people who would actually buy your solution. Get out of the technology and get into the problem.” – Parth Trivedi
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
Innovation techniques
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Validating new ideas
-
Creating new standards
-
Dealing with confirmation bias
-
Launching a company with significant innovation constraints
Book:
Chip War by Chris Miller - https://www.amazon.com/Chip-War-Dominate-Critical-Technology/dp/B09TX24J5Y
Connect with Parth Trivedi:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parthtrivedi/
Website: https://www.skylo.tech
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
You have probably heard about IQ and EQ. But have you heard about Experiential Intelligence?
That’s what I’m discussing today with my guest, Soren Kaplan – who wrote the book on Experiential Intelligence – literally! His book is titled: Experiential Intelligence – Harness the Power of Experience for Personal and Business Breakthroughs.
Soren has been named one of the world’s top management experts. He has advised and led professional development programs for thousands of executives around the world, including Disney, NBCUniversal, Medtronic, Philips, and Cisco.
Soren’s mission is to inspire, educate, and empower individuals and organizations to harness the power of innovation and experiential intelligence for positive impact and growth.
During our discussion, Soren explains how Experiential Intelligence can complement IQ and EQ.
Soren also talks about how to build a Culture of Innovation in your organization.
I’m sure you will get value from this discussion and pick up some insights about Experiential Intelligence you can start using right away.
“If you amplify what you're already good at, you're really leveraging your core competencies and the strengths of your culture.” – Soren Kaplan
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
How to leverage disruptive technology today
-
What is Experiential Intelligence
-
Disruptive innovation vs. incremental innovation
-
Innovation culture audits
-
How Experiential Intelligence complements IQ and EQ
Book:
Experiential Intelligence by Soren Kaplan - https://www.amazon.com/Experiential-Intelligence-Experience-Personal-Breakthroughs/dp/1637742029
Connect with Soren Kaplan:
Website: https://sorenkaplan.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sorenkaplan/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
I’m frequently asked why I wrote my first book. Today, I’m answering that question.
On this episode, I am being interviewed about my first book, Cracking the Patent Code. My friend Mike Wolpert is leading the interview as we discuss the book and details of my 3-step system that identifies and protects a tech company’s most valuable inventions.
During the interview, I share my experience as a patent attorney working with hundreds of technology companies and more than 1000 inventors.
“You must protect your inventions just like you protect other critical business assets.” – Steve Sponseller
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
The most common mistake tech companies make regarding their inventions
-
My solution to avoid this mistake
-
Why I wrote the book Cracking the Patent Code
-
Details regarding my 3-step system to identify and protect your most valuable inventions
-
Important benefits of following my 3-step system
Mentioned Resources:
Cracking the Patent Code book - https://www.amazon.com/Cracking-Patent-Code-Competitive-Inventions/dp/B08HQ92X1D
Connect with Steve:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevesponseller/
Website: https://stevesponseller.com
Thanks for listening!
You can get a free PDF copy of my book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover my proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On this episode, Kelli Lucas and I discuss her experience as a UX (user experience) designer. Kelli has 12 years of experience creating beautiful, engaging products for startups and enterprise clients alike. She has designed mobile and web products for FinTech, healthcare, publishing, sports, social media, advertising, education, logistics, and more.
Kelli is a co-founder and Chief Design Officer at Lunar Lab, a UX Design and Product Strategy firm. Lunar Lab empowers dreamers to create meaningful, impactful products through collaboration and innovation.
“Design decisions need to be aligned with your business decisions.” – Kelli Lucas
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
Why you should involve end users in the design process
-
How to design ethical products
-
Creating meaningful, impactful products through collaboration and innovation
-
Aligning design decisions with business decisions
-
How to make technology more human
Resources:
Book: Ruined by Design (Mike Monteiro) – Available at: https://www.ruinedby.design/
Book: Mismatch (Kat Holmes) – Available at: https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/mismatch
Connect with Kelli Lucas:
Website: https://lunarlab.io
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelliklucas/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LunarLab_IO
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On this episode, Jayant Chaudhary and I talk about his current work with technology companies.
Jayant is an Innovative CTO who works in the areas of ecommerce, marketing, payments, logistics, and team building.
He has 30 years of technology and leadership experience, and enjoys helping businesses make better technology decisions as they bring in new solutions. He’s been a tech leader at startups and Fortune 50 companies. Jayant has led teams of over 300 people and managed budgets of over $40 million.
Today, he is the CTO of eProxim, which provides technological expertise to solve complex ecommerce and middleware problems.
“Most technology projects run into trouble due to a lack of good communication.” – Jayant Chaudhary
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
How to improve communication in tech startups
-
The importance of developing trust with your team
-
Tips for building a strong ecommerce platform
-
How to grow your ecommerce platform as your company grows
-
How to build a strong communication system in your organization
Connect with Jayant Chaudhary:
Email: jc@eproxim.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jchaudhary
Website: https://eproxim.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On this episode, Mark Kerzner and I talk about his current work in artificial intelligence.
Mark is an expert in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cybersecurity.
He is a co-founder of Elephant Scale - a training and consulting company for Big Data, AI, and Machine Learning.
“Technology changes, but people and relationships often stay the same.” – Mark Kerzner
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
What is scalable artificial intelligence
-
How can tech companies best use artificial intelligence
-
Determining meanings within documents using AI
-
Artificial intelligence tips for small companies
Connect with Mark Kerzner:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markkerzner/
Website: https://elephantscale.com
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On this episode, I have a great conversation with Josh Millet.
Josh the founder and CEO of Criteria, which is a pre-employment assessment company with a simple goal: to help organizations make better hires.
Josh founded Criteria in 2006 with a vision to create a pre-employment testing service that would make the highest quality employee assessment tools accessible to companies of all sizes. He has raised a total of $64 million in funding since inception and acquired two companies in the last couple of years.
Josh’s experience combines leading-edge data science with rigorous validation to provide precise assessments. Since launching the company in 2006, Criteria has administered more than 25 million assessments.
“Resumes can be problematic from a science-based lens.” – Josh Millet
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
Tips for finding top employees for a tech company
-
How can companies hire the “right people”?
-
Keeping employees from leaving your organization
-
Tips for growing a tech company
-
Using adaptive assessments for improved efficiency
Connect with Josh Millet:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-millet-23ba192
Website: https://criteriacorp.com
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Are you interested in learning about the latest uses of optical communication systems? That’s what we’re discussing on this episode.
Today I’m talking with Justin Luczyk, who has two decades of military and satellite communications experience. Justin currently works for Airbus and helps provide space equipment to the U.S. government.
Justin has technical experience in all aspects of space-based communications, such as bandwidth, services, payloads, modems, and networks.
During our discussion, he shares information about the differences between RF systems and optical systems – and the advantages of each type of system.
Justin also talks about how optical communication technology is revolutionizing the space ecosystem.
And he shares information about the importance of optical communications for low earth orbit (LEO) satellites.
I’m sure you will enjoy this discussion and get some valuable insights about using optical communication systems.
“It’s enabling business models and architectures that fundamentally couldn’t be done with RF alone.” – Justin Luczyk (TESAT Government)
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
Benefits of optical communication systems
-
Interoperability standards in the space domain
-
Current uses of optical communication systems for space-based communications
-
Advantages of communicating outside the earth’s atmosphere
-
Testing and simulating optical communication systems
Book:
What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell – https://www.amazon.com/What-Dog-Saw-Other-Adventures/dp/0141047984
Connect with Justin Luczyk:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinluczyk/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Are you leveraging the power of quantum computing and artificial intelligence (AI)? If not, today’s guest will explain these critical technologies and how they can dramatically impact your business.
Today I’m talking with Beatriz Sanz Saiz, who is the Global Data and Artificial Intelligence leader for EY consulting. EY is Ernst & Young.
Beatriz holds a master’s degree in Mathematics and Statistics. She is a regular speaker at international industry conferences and has been featured in Forbes and the Financial Times.
During our discussion, Beatriz shares information about quantum computing and artificial intelligence, which she believes are two of the most disruptive technologies of this century.
She talks about how quantum adoption will increase and quantum algorithms will be integrated into existing technology.
Beatriz also discusses five practical steps for companies to start using quantum technology today.
I’m sure you will enjoy this discussion and get some valuable insights to leverage quantum computing and artificial intelligence in your business.
“The range of use cases will expand mostly because it touches the heart and the core processes of nearly every sector.” – Beatriz Sanz Saiz
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
Current trends in adoption of quantum computing
-
A hybrid approach to add quantum computing to your existing technology
-
How quantum technology and artificial intelligence intersect with one another
-
Five steps to start using quantum technology today
-
Why quantum computing may reinvent entire industries
Book:
An Immense World by Ed Yong – https://www.amazon.com/Immense-World-Animal-Senses-Reveal/dp/0593133250
Connect with Beatriz Sanz Saiz:
Website: https://ey.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beatriz-sanz-saiz-a8341630/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On this episode, I have an insightful conversation with Chris Hood.
Chris is a strategist, a thought leader, and an author with 35 years of experience in business development and digital transformation.
He currently formerly worked at Google as the Head of Business Innovation & Strategy. Today, he is the founder of CH Digital. Chris also teaches at Southern New Hampshire University.
His background includes a wide range of industries with significant work in media and entertainment at companies including Fox, Disney, Universal, and Electronic Arts.
Chris is also the host of “The Chris Hood Digital Show” Podcast.
“Innovative ideas can come from anyone in your organization.” – Chris Hood
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
How do you keep innovation alive in a large organization like Google
-
The three key components of innovation (technology, data, and people)
-
Tips for building a culture of innovation in your company
-
The relationship between digital transformation and innovation
Connect with Chris Hood:
Website: https://chrishood.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrishood/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Do you want to learn how to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) in your business? That’s what we’re discussing on this episode.
Today I’m talking with Manuj Aggarwal, who is an Artificial Intelligence and Cyber Security expert and a mentor to startups.
He is also the author of two books and an inventor named on four patents.
During our discussion, Manuj talks about how he launched his current business, TetraNoodle Technologies.
He also provides tips on using Artificial Intelligence tools, such as Chat GPT, to enhance your business. Manuj also provides some warnings for tech leaders about using those tools safely so you don’t disclose company secrets.
Manuj talks about the value of patents when selling a business.
I’m sure you will enjoy this conversation with Manuj and get some valuable tips for effectively using Artificial Intelligence in your own business.
“So we have been taught all our lives to find the answers. But in my opinion, people who can ask better questions, they can also get better answers.” – Manuj Aggarwal
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Using AI to get advice and solve problems
-
AI risks for tech companies
-
Benefits and limitations of using AI
-
How to be sure your team is using AI tools in a safe manner
-
Today’s biggest challenge working with AI
Book:
Principles: Life and Work by Ray Dalio – https://www.amazon.com/Principles-Life-Work-Ray-Dalio/dp/1501124021
Connect with Manuj Aggarwal:
Website: https://manujaggarwal.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manujaggarwal/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Do you need help delivering compelling technical presentations?
Today I’m talking with Don Colliver, who is a facilitator and communication consultant with over 20 years of experience. He has worked as a consultant for tech companies like Google, Cisco, Adobe, and IBM. Don is also a former theatrical clown for a circus and has performed with the Blue Man Group.
He is the author of the book Wink: Transforming Public Speaking with Clown Presence.
Don talks about how his experience as a clown helps him when training tech companies how to give good presentations.
He also discusses how to present technical information without putting your audience to sleep.
Don also shares the 3 questions you must ask about your audience before planning any presentation.
I’m sure you will enjoy Don’s tips and insights for building audience awareness, increasing rapport, and clearly communicating technical information.
“Sometimes all you need is to hear positive feedback for a few presentations.” – Don Colliver
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
Important factors when presenting technical information
-
Why engagement is so important
-
3 questions to ask about your audience when planning a presentation (Who – What – Why)
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How to improve your tech team’s presentations
-
A change in mindset regarding public speaking
Resource:
Free Audience Engagement Exercise – https://www.doncolliver.com/techengage
Book:
Crucial Conversations – https://www.amazon.com/Crucial-Conversations-Tools-Talking-Stakes/dp/1260474186
Connect with Don Colliver:
Website: https://www.winktechtalks.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doncolliver/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On this episode, I have a wonderful conversation with Andrew Butt.
Andrew has launched and grown several technology companies. He has also served on the Board of Directors for multiple companies.
Andrew it the co-founder and CEO of Enable, which is a cloud-based B2B (Business to Business) software tool for rebate management. Enable’s software tool is used by distributors, wholesalers, and manufacturers across over 50 industries.
“Cloud-based opportunities are bigger than ever.” – Andrew Butt
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Key lessons learned from launching several tech companies
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Tips for growing a venture-backed company
-
Critical trends that are impacting technology companies
-
Why Focus is so important for tech company leaders
Resources Mentioned:
Book: The Five Disfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni
Book: The Advantage by Patrick Lencioni
Connect with Andrew Butt:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/awbutt/
Website: https://www.enable.com
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Do you want to learn how AI can optimize your website and improve conversions?
On this episode, I have a wonderful conversation with Arthur Root.
Arthur is the founder and CEO of Nostra AI, an Artificial Intelligence marketing company that is utilized by a wide range of companies, from publicly traded companies to small businesses. Nostra has developed an easy-to-use content optimization system that uses AI to efficiently optimize web pages.
Arthur is knowledgeable about AI, marketing, raising VC financing, and entrepreneurship.
“AI can do what’s impossible for humans.” – Arthur Root
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
The current best practices for web site design
-
How AI is impacting web site design today
-
What does your website need before you consider using AI
-
Managing your website based on consumer sentiment
Resources Mentioned:
Book: Code Breakers by Walter Isaacson - https://www.amazon.com/Code-Breaker-Jennifer-Doudna-Editing/dp/1982115866
Connect with Arthur Root:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthur-root/
Website: https://www.nostra.ai/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Are you looking for tips and insights to grow your tech startup and obtain funding? Well, that’s what we’re discussing today.
Today I’m talking with Don Weidner, who is the founder of Formidable Ventures, which is an investment business built on exponential technologies and aggressive growth.
Don talks about the different types of companies he invests in, and what factors he considers when evaluating a tech company for possible investment.
During our discussion, Don shares information about what he looks for in a leadership team and what makes a pitch stand out.
Don also shares his thoughts on what he expects to see in the investment area during the coming year.
I’m sure you will get some valuable tips and insights that can help you grow and fund your tech company.
“When investing, I always look for cutting edge technology and exponential technology. My personal favorites are autonomous vehicles, solar power, robotics, and space.” – Don Weidner (Founder of Formidable Ventures)
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
Factors considered when evaluating a space tech company for investment
-
What types of space technology are most likely to be successful
-
How to predict the future infrastructure needed to support a new company
-
What Don looks for in a company’s leadership team
-
What entrepreneurs should consider before launching a new company today
Book:
Sevenevys by Neal Stephenson: https://www.amazon.com/Seveneves-Neal-Stephenson/dp/0062334514
Connect with Don Weidner:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donweidner
Website: https://formidable.io/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On this episode, I have a fun discussion with Scott Christianson.
Scott is an Associate Teaching Professor of management at the Trulaske College of Business at the University of Missouri. Scott’s interests are focused on the impact of emerging technology on society and human well-being.
Prior to joining the college, he was a business owner with decades of experience in videoconferencing technology, project management, and information technology.
“This is a great time to learn on your own.” – Scott Christianson
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
How to start using open source hardware in your business
-
A student’s project that used open source hardware to prototype a “calving collar” for cows
-
What Scott enjoys most about working in the academic world
-
New platforms for flexible learning (remote, in-person, and hybrid)
Resources Mentioned:
Arist (training platform): https://arist.co/
Scott’s Newsletter: https://frtech.substack.com/welcome
Instructables: https://www.instructables.com/
Arduino: https://www.arduino.cc/
Raspberrypi: https://www.raspberrypi.org/
Adafruit: https://www.adafruit.com/
SparkFun: https://www.sparkfun.com/
Connect with Scott:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jscottchristianson/
Website: https://www.christiansonjs.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Would you like to learn tips to grow your business from a CEO and Co-Founder of multiple startups?
Today I am talking with Nigel Eccles, who is the former CEO and Co-Founder of FanDuel, and today is the CEO and Co-Founder of Vault. His latest company, Vault, is a new creator platform that uses the power of Web 3 to unlock the next generation of fan experiences. Nigel tells us more about the unique features of Vault during today’s discussion.
Nigel talks about his experience with launching and growing several companies. He also discusses how he comes up with ideas for new companies and deciding which ideas to pursue.
Nigel has a passion for building online communities. He talks about how tech companies can successfully leverage online communities.
You’re going to enjoy this conversation with Nigel and get some valuable insights on how you can grow your own company.
“Step one is to have a great product. If you don’t have a great product, it doesn’t matter how great your marketing is – nobody will use it. Step two is to find repeatable acquisition channels.” – Nigel Eccles (CEO and Co-founder of Vault Laboratories)
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
How to build a business for passionate fans
-
Nigel’s most effective growth strategies
-
Building online communities that strengthen your company
-
Vault’s unique niche in the music industry
-
Successfully pivoting a startup into a new industry
Connect with Nigel Eccles:
Website: https://vault.fan/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nigeleccles
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nigeleccles/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Are you protecting your company’s critical inventions that create a competitive advantage, attract investors, and increase valuation?
This interview is part of the Space Tech Innovation event where Space Tech Leaders share the latest trends and key insights to grow any tech company. The event is Free – you can register at https://SpaceTechInnovation.com to see all the videos, edited transcripts, and an executive summary of each interview.
Today’s interview is going to be different. I’ve turned the tables and I am the person being interviewed. Shelli Brunswick (a previous guest on the podcast) has generously agreed to interview me today. Shelli is the Chief Operating Officer of Space Foundation and a fantastic interviewer for her own podcast.
Today, I will be talking with Shelli about my insights from interviewing eight space tech leaders as part of the Space Tech Innovation event. I’ve been working with tech companies for more than 25 years, but I still discovered new things from my discussions with the space tech leaders.
I will also be sharing my own knowledge and experience about how tech companies (space tech and non-space tech) can protect their most valuable inventions to create patent portfolios that provide a competitive advantage, attract investors, and increase company valuation.
I think you will enjoy this conversation with me and get some valuable tips and insights that can help you in your own business activities.
“Two of the biggest mistakes I see space tech companies make regarding their inventions are 1) not having a system to identify all inventions created by their team, and 2) not understanding patent filing deadlines.” – Steve Sponseller (President and Patent Strategist at Innovation Strategies, Inc.)
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
Why space tech companies must protect their inventions
-
Insights from talking with eight space tech experts for the Space Tech Innovation event
-
Biggest mistakes about protecting inventions
-
The motivation behind Steve’s book, Cracking the Patent Code
-
Why collaboration among space tech companies is critical
Resources:
Space Tech White Paper: https://stevesponseller.com/spacetech/
Steve’s book, Cracking the Patent Code: https://stevesponseller.com/book
Connect with Steve Sponseller:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevesponseller/
Website: https://stevesponseller.com
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Does your space tech startup need help navigating today’s funding landscape?
This interview is part of the Space Tech Innovation event where Space Tech Leaders share the latest trends and key insights to grow any tech company. The event is Free – you can register at https://SpaceTechInnovation.com to see all the videos, edited transcripts, and an executive summary of each interview.
Today I am talking with Maureen Haverty, who is the Investment Vice President of Seraphim Space. Seraphim Space invests in space tech startups from seed investments through their full life cycle. Maureen joined Seraphim Space after a successful career in the space industry as COO at Apollo Fusion and Senior Director of Corporate Development at Astra.
During our interview, Maureen discusses what she looks for when analyzing a space tech company for investment – and how that differs from analyzing non-space tech companies.
Maureen also talks about what Seraphim Space likes to see in the company’s leadership team. And, she provides suggestions on what a space tech startup should be looking for in an investor.
Maureen also shares her thoughts on what she expects with space tech funding trends in the coming year.
I know you will enjoy this conversation with Maureen and get some insights on how to get funding for your own company.
“We focus quite a bit on tech. The most important thing is the team… Why are you the team that can do something difficult that others failed to do?” – Maureen Haverty (Investment Vice President of Seraphim Space)
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
Strategy for raising funds in the current space tech environment
-
Important factors when evaluating a space tech company for investment
-
What Seraphim Space looks for in a leadership team
-
What should space tech companies look for in an investor?
-
Expectations for space tech investments in the coming year
Connect with Maureen Haverty:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maureen-haverty-52569b79/
Website: https://seraphim.vc
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Are you using design reviews and testing to build a strong tech team?
This interview is part of the Space Tech Innovation event where Space Tech Leaders share the latest trends and key insights to grow any tech company. The event is Free – you can register at https://SpaceTechInnovation.com to see all the videos, edited transcripts, and an executive summary of each interview.
Today I am talking with Shawn Buckley. Shawn is a Senior Director of Engineering at Sierra Space where he and his team are developing and implementing the next generation of power and infrastructure for the evolving space economy.
Shawn is passionate about space systems, especially inflatable space habitats.
He loves attending design reviews. He considers it a privilege to participate in design reviews to see people’s work and see their excitement. During design reviews, Shawn enjoys seeing all of the hard work done by hundreds of team members.
Shawn talks about mentors he’s had in his life and the way that he mentors young team members in his current work.
I’m sure you will enjoy this discussion with Shawn and get some valuable insights about working with your design team members.
“For our inflatable structures, we have orbital debris protection that’s stronger than steel. This protects against high speed objects.” – Shawn Buckley (Senior Director of Engineering at Sierra Space)
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
Designing and burst testing inflatable space habitats
-
Improving collaboration between remote teams
-
Protecting against high-speed space debris
-
Mentoring younger team members
-
Managing supply chain issues
Resources:
Burst test video: https://youtu.be/TcJuz6JA0BU
Courage is Calling by Ryan Holiday - https://www.amazon.com/Courage-Calling-Fortune-Favors-Brave/dp/0593191676
Connect with Shawn Buckley:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lashawn-buckley-5b246328/
Website: https://www.sierraspace.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Can your company benefit from rapid iteration techniques and simulation to quickly develop successful products?
This interview is part of the Space Tech Innovation event where Space Tech Leaders share the latest trends and key insights to grow any tech company. The event is Free – you can register at https://SpaceTechInnovation.com to see all the videos, edited transcripts, and an executive summary of each interview.
Today I’m talking with Joe Pawelski, who is the Chief Technical Officer and Co-Founder of CisLunar Industries.
Joe and the team at CisLunar Industries are building and operating space foundries to enable the next industrial revolution. In particular, he works with in-space metal processing and space debris recycling.
Joe has a passion for figuring out things people say are impossible. Some of the projects he and the CisLunar team are working on include things that might seem impossible, like turning space debris into propellants and other useful materials. And, doing this in orbit, not on Earth.
During our discussion, Joe talks about how to test and simulate these projects on earth during the design process. He also discusses rapid iteration techniques that can be used when developing these types of systems.
Joe shares lots of valuable information and I know you will find valuable insights you can apply in your own tech business.
“We believe that abundant resources in space are a good way to sustain humanity. We think of ourselves as a sustainable company that’s looking out for the earth.” – Joe Pawelski (CTO of CisLunar Industries)
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
Creating metal propellants from space debris
-
How to recycle space debris while in orbit
-
Rapid iteration techniques to build better products
-
What is ISRU (In-Situ Resource Utilization)
-
Designing and building space foundries
Connect with Joe Pawelski:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-pawelski/
Website: https://www.cislunarindustries.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Would you like to discover test strategies used by experienced space tech development teams to create cutting edge systems?
This interview is part of the Space Tech Innovation event where Space Tech Leaders share the latest trends and key insights to grow any tech company. The event is Free – you can register at https://SpaceTechInnovation.com to see all the videos, edited transcripts, and an executive summary of each interview.
Today I am talking with Hunter Williams. He is a specialist in space resource utilization, planetary surface technology development, partnership management, and space system design. In his current work, he is helping to build a lunar infrastructure.
During our interview, Hunter discusses various types of robotic systems, such as Mars vehicles and exploration systems. He also shares information about lunar arrays, lunar power systems, and a lunar electrical grid.
I’m sure you will enjoy this discussion and get some valuable insights about innovation and designing systems that can operate in harsh environments, such as the surface of the moon.
“You never really know until you test. That’s why we start testing early in the design process.” – Hunter Williams (Lunar Infrastructure Specialist)
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
Lessons learned from designing space exploration systems
-
What is the “lunar economy”?
-
Obstacles when creating planetary surface robotics
-
Current projects for lunar power systems
-
The NASA Tech Flights program for economical testing
Connect with Hunter Williams:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hunter-j-williams/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Are you ready to expand your business or career into the space industry?
This interview is part of the Space Tech Innovation event where Space Tech Leaders share the latest trends and key insights to grow any tech company. The event is Free – you can register at https://SpaceTechInnovation.com to see all the videos, edited transcripts, and an executive summary of each interview.
Today I have the pleasure of talking with Laura Forczyk. She’s the Founder and Executive Director of Astralytical, which is a space consulting firm. Laura guides businesses and government entities to grow in the exciting and fast-paced space sector.
Laura is passionate about spaceflight and the entire space industry. She has a broad expertise spanning science, technology, exploration, and public policy – which gives her a unique perspective.
During our interview, Laura discusses opportunities for non-space companies to expand into the space industry. She also shares information about the many space-related jobs that don’t require STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) degrees.
I know you will enjoy this discussion and get some valuable insights about the space industry and how you might be able to play a role in that industry.
“Every tech company has some kind of link to the space industry, they just don’t know it yet.” – Laura Forczyk (Founder and Executive Director of Astralytical)
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
Space-related jobs (not just STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)
-
Suborbital transportation opportunities
-
How space technology is helping people on earth
-
Opportunities for non-space companies to expand or reposition into the space industry
-
Increasing diversity in the space sector
Books:
Dune: https://www.amazon.com/Dune-Chronicles-Book-1/dp/0441013597
The Expanse https://www.amazon.com/Leviathan-Wakes-James-S-Corey/dp/0316129089
Connect with Laura Forczyk:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauraforczyk/
Space Career Coaching website: https://LauraForczyk.com
Business Consulting website: https://Astralytical.com
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Did you know that NASA has patented inventions ready for you to license and commercialize?
This interview is part of the Space Tech Innovation event where Space Tech Leaders share the latest trends and key insights to grow any tech company. The event is Free – you can register at https://SpaceTechInnovation.com to see all the videos, edited transcripts, and an executive summary of each interview.
On this episode of the podcast, I am talking with Dan Lockney.
I’m excited about this episode because Dan and I talk about a fantastic program from NASA for technology companies.
Dan is the Technology Transfer Program Executive at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC. He is responsible for managing NASA’s intellectual property and the transfer of NASA technology to promote the commercialization and public availability of NASA’s patented inventions.
Dan and I discuss how NASA’s Technology Transfer Program operates and the types of companies that can license the technology. Here’s a small spoiler: any size of company can license the technology – from startups to large corporations. And, you will be surprised at the cost of the license!
Dan shares information about the motivation behind the Technology Transfer Program. He also discusses some of his favorite inventions that have been successfully commercialized.
NASA has a publication called “Spinoff” that highlights many types of transferred technologies that benefit life on Earth in the form of commercial products. NASA recently published a new edition of the Spinoff publication. It has dozens of stories describing businesses that have successfully launched products based on technology licensed from NASA. There’s a link to the Spinoff publication below.
Why is this program exciting to me? As you may know, as a Patent Strategist I work with tech companies every day regarding patents and inventions. This Technology Transfer Program is a great opportunity to license patented NASA technology to launch a business or a new product line.
I encourage you to listen to this episode and see if the Technology Transfer Program is a good option for your business.
“The Spinoff publication was created to let everyone know about the Technology Transfer Program and show the results of NASA’s research and development activities.” – Daniel Lockney
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
How does the NASA Technology Transfer Program work
-
Program success stories
-
The motivation behind the Technology Transfer Program
-
Types of technologies contained in the patented inventions
-
How a team of NASA engineers designed a new low-cost ventilator in response to the Covid outbreak
Resources:
Spinoff publication: https://spinoff.nasa.gov/
NASA Technology Transfer Program: https://technology.nasa.gov/
NASA Spinoff temperature-regulating mugs: https://burnoutmugs.com/
Book: Shop Class as Soulcraft by Matthew Crawford - https://www.amazon.com/Shop-Class-Soulcraft-Inquiry-Value/dp/0143117467
Connect with Daniel Lockney:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-lockney-bb5316a8/
Website: https://technology.nasa.gov/network
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Would you like to discover innovation tips from a tech leader who is developing and deploying cutting edge platforms in space?
This interview is part of the Space Tech Innovation event where Space Tech Leaders share the latest trends and key insights to grow any tech company. The event is Free – you can register at https://SpaceTechInnovation.com to see all the videos, edited transcripts, and an executive summary of each interview.
Today I have the pleasure of talking with Sebastian Asprella, the CEO and Co-Founder of ThinkOrbital. Sebastian has 25 years of leadership and entrepreneurship experience in multiple areas, such as business management, information technology, pharmaceuticals, and aerospace.
ThinkOrbital is a space tech startup that’s developing novel systems that autonomously assemble structures while orbiting the earth. The structures can be used for servicing satellites in-orbit, managing space debris, in-space manufacturing, space tourism, and more.
During our interview, Sebastian discusses the challenges that the ThinkOrbital team faces and the innovation necessary to develop and deploy these cutting edge platforms in space.
I’m sure you will enjoy this discussion and get some valuable insights about innovation and creating new systems that you can use in your own company today.
“We think of ourselves as a real estate developer in space. We provide possibilities for companies that want to operate in space, such as manufacturing, servicing, and data centers.” – Sebastian Asprella (CEO of ThinkOrbital)
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Benefits of asking: “How do you think we’re going to fail?”
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Augmenting product offerings from other companies
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How to identify hundreds of use cases for a new platform
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Innovation techniques for developing and deploying cutting edge platforms in space
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Why limited capital may strengthen the space industry
Resources:
Video simulation of ThinkOrbital structure: https://thinkorbital.com/assets/video/Orb2__Low-cost_Habitable_Space_in_Space.webm
Connect with Sebastian Asprella:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastian-asprella/
Website: https://thinkorbital.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Do you want to learn about how Space Technology is changing life on earth?
This interview is part of the Space Tech Innovation event where space tech leaders share the latest trends and key insights to grow any tech company. The event is Free – you can register at SpaceTechInnovation.com to see all the videos, edited transcripts, and an executive summary of each interview.
Today I have a fantastic discussion with Shelli Brunswick to launch the Space Tech Innovation event. Shelli is the Chief Operating Officer of Space Foundation and has a broad perspective on the global space ecosystem. She’s worked with space technology during her service with the U.S. Air Force and in her current role with Space Foundation.
Shelli advocates for space tech innovation, entrepreneurship, diversity, and inclusion.
During our interview, she discusses how space technology innovation is impacting our daily lives. Shelli also explains what’s driving the rapid growth of space-related companies.
She also discusses new collaboration opportunities in the space industry between the commercial, governmental, and educational sectors. Shelli also shares her excitement about the increasing number of women in the space industry.
I’m sure you will enjoy this discussion, learn about the space industry, and take away some tips you can use in your business.
“Space tourism companies are building the infrastructure to the future of space. This leads to new opportunities for economic development.” – Shelli Brunswick
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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How space tech helps everyone on earth
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Activities at the Space Foundation Discovery Center
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Today’s collaboration among commercial, governmental, and educational sectors
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Expanding inclusivity, diversity, equity, and access in the space industry
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The workforce shortage in the space industry
Resources:
Book: Humans at Work by Anna Tavis & Stela Lupushor: https://www.amazon.com/Humans-Work-Practice-Creating-Workplace/dp/1398604232
Space Symposium event: https://www.spacesymposium.org/
Connect with Shelli Brunswick:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shellibrunswick/
Website: https://spacefoundation.org
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Are you worried about the current economic situation?
On today’s episode, I am talking with Mahesh Thakur who will share his tips and experiences with previous economic downturns.
Mahesh is a CEO coach and an entrepreneur. He helps CEOs and business owners re-prioritize their activities and position their company for success.
Previously, Mahesh has worked at Fortune 50 companies including Microsoft, Amazon, Intuit, and GoDaddy. He is currently an advisor to various technology startups. Mahesh is a member of the MG 100 Coaches family and is a Certified Board Director from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business.
During our discussion, Mahesh shares lots of valuable insights related to recession-proofing your business, prioritizing your business activities, and implementing a framework he uses when working with CEOs.
I’m sure this discussion will provide some valuable tips you can apply in your own business.
“It’s important for companies to understand their strengths and leverage those strengths during an economic downturn.” – Mahesh Thakur
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Recession-proofing your business
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A framework for CEOs to improve performance
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Prioritizing your business activities
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Leadership tips for tech companies
Resources:
Business Assessment Link: https://app.assessmentgenerator.com/assessment/17603
Book: Visual Leadership by Todd Cherches: https://www.toddcherches.com/book
Connect with Mahesh Thakur:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maheshmthakur/
Website: https://www.maheshmthakur.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Are you struggling to build a team and define a culture in your organization – in today’s remote work environment?
That’s what my friend Kevin Eikenberry is discussing in this episode. Kevin is the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group.
He is recognized as one of the World’s Top 30 Leadership Professionals. Today Kevin shares his 30 years of experience and insights about building remote teams that work for all team members. He also talks about his latest book The Long-Distance Team that focuses on Designing Your Team for Everyone’s Success.
During our call, Kevin explains the 3C model which includes Communication, Collaboration, and Cohesion. This model supports the connection of team design and culture in any organization by integrating all three of those factors.
I’m sure this discussion with Kevin will provide you with tips and insights you can use to build and strengthen your own team.
“The world of work is continuing to change and at least some people are going to be working remotely. We need to consider how our teams are designed and what our culture should look like.” – Kevin Eikenberry
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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What it means to “Pilot” your organization
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The connection between Team and Culture
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Understanding the 3C model - Communication, Collaboration, Cohesion
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How to determine the “right culture” for your organization in a world that’s changing
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Asynchronous collaboration strategies for your team
Resources:
Kevin’s Book: The Long-Distance Team: https://longdistanceteambook.com/
Kevin’s Podcast: The Remarkable Leadership Podcast: https://remarkablepodcast.com/
Culture is the Way by Matt Mayberry: https://www.amazon.com/Culture-Way-Leaders-Organization-Excellence/dp/1119913659
The Microstress Effect by Rob Cross & Karen Dillon: https://www.amazon.com/Microstress-Effect-Little-Things-Problems/dp/1647823978
Connect with Kevin Eikenberry:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevineikenberry/
Website: https://kevineikenberry.com
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Would you like to learn how to create a User Experience (UX) that accelerates time-to-market and reduces cost?
That’s exactly what I’m discussing today with Matt Genovese. Matt is the founder and CEO of Planorama, which is a User Experience design firm that focuses on making complex and technical software – simple and intuitive to use.
Matt and the team at Planorama follow the mantra, “Time to market, accelerated by design.”
During our discussion, Matt shares information about how he and his team get involved early in the product design process so the UX requirements and documentation are defined at the beginning - and play an important role in the entire design process.
Matt also explains the importance of User Stories in the overall UX design process to save time and money. He also mentions a free User Story Generator tool offered by Planorama. There’s a link to this tool in the show notes.
I know you will find value in this interview and get some insights for improving your company’s User Experience design process.
“Design is all about requirements. UX defines the solid visual requirements for a product. So, the investment in a good UX design saves money on the development activities.” – Matt Genovese
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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A first step to improve your UX
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How a good UX design improves your business
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What are User Stories and why are they important to the design process
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When to start UX design in the product design process
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The importance of UX design to software companies
Resources:
User Story Generator: http://userstorygenerator.ai
Connect with Matt Genovese:
Contact Matt: https://planorama.design/podcast
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mgenovese/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Innovation is critical for tech companies to maintain their competitive edge.
My guest today is Mike Todasco. He’s sharing his expertise with innovation and artificial intelligence (AI).
Mike is highly qualified to talk about these topics individually and he will discuss how AI can help with innovation and creativity.
Mike was formerly the Head of Innovation at PayPal and he’s named as an inventor on over 100 patents. He left his work at PayPal to focus on Generative Artificial Intelligence.
During our discussion, Mike shares information about the innovation culture that was created at PayPal and how team members were encouraged to innovate.
He also discusses his current activities with AI and how he’s using AI tools to write books, generate comic strips, create new ideas, and more. Mike talks about how to use today’s AI tools, like ChatGPT, to come up with innovative ideas, generate rough drafts of emails, and act as your brainstorming partner.
I’m sure you will enjoy this discussion and get some valuable tips for creating innovative ideas and leveraging AI tools in your business.
“Artificial Intelligence isn’t going to take your job, but someone who uses Artificial Intelligence is going to take your job.” – Mike Todasco
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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How to encourage all team members to innovate
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Mike’s technique for generating new ideas
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The huge potential for Generative Artificial Intelligence
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Using AI tools as your 24/7 brainstorming partner
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Writing books and other content with AI tools
Resources:
Mike’s Books written with the assistance of AI: http://alexirons.com
Connect with Mike Todasco:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/todasco/
Email: miketodasco (at) gmail.com
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Are you concerned about reducing stress and avoiding burnout?
On this episode, I have a wonderful conversation with Lisa Duerre.
Lisa is a former Silicon Valley executive on a mission: She ignites leaders in the tech world to get fantastic results, build high-performing teams, and be present for the moments that matter without burning out.
Lisa has worked in various roles, such as a CEO, Executive Coach, Speaker, Facilitator, Leadership Advisor, Podcast Host, and Author. She has helped over 25,000 employees get faster results at work, make a bigger impact, and be better business leaders. Lisa is passionate about showing leaders the way to lead with their head and their heart.
“Burnout is a billion dollar problem in the United States.” – Lisa Duerre
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Why great leaders align their head and heart
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How to avoid burnout
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Tips for rebooting to reduce stress and increase productivity
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How to attract and retain employees
Resources Mentioned:
Book: Conversations Worth Having by Jackie Stavros and Cheri Torres Podcast: Ctrl Alt Del with Lisa Duerre: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ctrl-alt-delete-with-lisa-duerre-for-leaders-in-tech/id1532782441
Connect with Lisa Duerre:
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/lisaduerre
Website: https://RLDGroupLLC.com
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Are you effectively leveraging your company’s data?
On this episode, I have an interesting conversation with Jon Thompson. Jon is the Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Blue Margin, which is a data analytics company that organizes data into dashboards. Jon discusses how these dashboards can help companies quickly and easily understand complex data.
Jon and his team have helped over 200 companies improve their business outcomes through the use of performance dashboards that drive focus and accountability. Jon and the Blue Margin team works with companies in a variety of industries.
Jon also co-authored a book with his brother titled “The Dashboard Effect,” which explains why data intelligence is the next great differentiator in business. He discusses this in more detail during our interview.
Jon also explains that dashboards aren’t just for the company leaders. Jon encourages companies to provide dashboards to all team members, which can help build motivation and teamwork.
I’m sure you will enjoy this discussion with Jon and I encourage you to take action by clicking the link below where you can download Jon’s Stakeholder Survey and a free copy of his Book.
“Dashboards need to be people-centric, not topic-centric. Dashboards are tools for people to consume that will improve their activities and processes.” – Jon Thompson
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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How companies can derive value from large amounts of data
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Different types of data analysis for business data
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Leveraging data dashboards in your company
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Determining the most valuable data indicators for your company
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How to incorporate data analysis into your entire business
Resources:
Free Stakeholder Survey and copy of Jon’s book, The Dashboard Effect: https://www.bluemargin.com/en-us/blue-margin-on-tech-leader-talk-with-steve-sponseller
The Dashboard Effect podcast: https://www.bluemargin.com/en-us/the-dashboard-effect-podcast-data-strategies-for-private-equity
Connect with Jon Thompson:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-thompson-37282432/
Website: https://www.bluemargin.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Did you know that the SBIR program can help your small business grow by solving particular problems defined by public sector organizations?
On this episode, I am talking with Tracy Gregorio. Tracy is the CEO of G2 Ops, which is an IT engineering and cybersecurity company serving the US Navy, the government, and commercial enterprises. She has a wide range of experience with both the military and the private sector.
Tracy shares how her variety of experience helps her as a company leader today. She also provides tips on how small businesses can be successful working with large government agencies.
During our discussion, Tracy explains the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program and describes the three different phases of the program. The SBIR program is intended to stimulate technological innovation in small businesses.
Tracy also talks about how she and the team at G2 Ops has created and sustained a culture of innovation and creativity.
I’m sure you will get some great ideas from Tracy that you can incorporate into your own business.
“Our private sector experience dealing with revenue, ROI, and delivering value gives our company an advantage when working with government agencies.” – Tracy Gregorio
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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How to take advantage of the SBIR program
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Tips for small businesses working with large government agencies
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Creating a culture of innovation in your company
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Tips for small businesses to scale quickly and handle big projects
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Cultivating strong relationships with other businesses
Connect with Tracy Gregorio:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracygregorio/
Website: https://g2-ops.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
How can your tech startup attract investors in today’s uncertain environment?
On this episode of the podcast, I am talking with Mark Sherman.
Mark is a Managing Partner of Telstra Ventures, which is a venture capital firm in San Francisco, CA with a strong track record. As we talk about on this episode, Telstra Ventures uses data science and quantitative analysis when analyzing investment opportunities.
Mark talks about what he and his partners look for in a technology startup. One thing they like to see is a passion for the business. Mark shares other key factors during our discussion.
He also talks about how companies can make their pitch stand out to investors and make a good impression.
Mark and I also discuss his thoughts on what he expects with funding trends on the coming year.
I know you will enjoy this conversation with Mark and leave with some insights on how to position your company to improve the chances of getting funding.
“We typically invest in Series A and Series B companies. Our goal is to help companies grow to $100M in revenue and beyond.” – Mark Sherman
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Using data analysis when evaluating tech startups for investment
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How can a pitch grab an investor’s attention
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How $300B in “dry powder” will impact investments in the near future
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Factors considered before investing in a technology startup
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Expected funding trends in the coming year
Connect with Mark Sherman:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markheyssherman/
Website: https://telstraventures.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Did you know that NASA has patented inventions ready for you to license and commercialize?
On this episode of the podcast, I am talking with Dan Lockney.
I’m excited about this episode because Dan and I talk about a fantastic program from NASA for technology companies.
Dan is the Technology Transfer Program Executive at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC. He is responsible for managing NASA’s intellectual property and the transfer of NASA technology to promote the commercialization and public availability of NASA’s patented inventions.
Dan and I discuss how NASA’s Technology Transfer Program operates and the types of companies that can license the technology. Here’s a small spoiler: any size of company can license the technology – from startups to large corporations. And, you will be surprised at the cost of the license!
Dan shares information about the motivation behind the Technology Transfer Program. He also discusses some of his favorite inventions that have been successfully commercialized.
NASA has a publication called “Spinoff” that highlights many types of transferred technologies that benefit life on Earth in the form of commercial products. NASA recently published a new edition of the Spinoff publication. It has dozens of stories describing businesses that have successfully launched products based on technology licensed from NASA. There’s a link to the Spinoff publication below.
Why is this program exciting to me? As you may know, as a Patent Strategist I work with tech companies every day regarding patents and inventions. This Technology Transfer Program is a great opportunity to license patented NASA technology to launch a business or a new product line.
I encourage you to listen to this episode and see if the Technology Transfer Program is a good option for your business.
“Most of the technology in the Technology Transfer Program is outside of the aerospace area. Example technologies include medical devices, public transportation, consumer goods, and safety equipment.” – Daniel Lockney
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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How does the NASA Technology Transfer Program work
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Program success stories
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The motivation behind the Technology Transfer Program
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Types of technologies contained in the patented inventions
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How a team of NASA engineers designed a new low-cost ventilator in response to the Covid outbreak
Resources:
Spinoff publication: https://spinoff.nasa.gov/
NASA Technology Transfer Program: https://technology.nasa.gov/
NASA Spinoff temperature-regulating mugs: https://burnoutmugs.com/
Book: Shop Class as Soulcraft by Matthew Crawford - https://www.amazon.com/Shop-Class-Soulcraft-Inquiry-Value/dp/0143117467
Connect with Daniel Lockney:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-lockney-bb5316a8/
Website: https://technology.nasa.gov/network
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Will additional regulations be a good thing for security?
On this episode of the podcast, I have a great discussion with Justin Daniels.
Justin is an attorney and shareholder at the law firm of Baker Donelson where he practices as a transactional lawyer, which includes Merger & Acquisition work.
Justin specifically advises his clients on identifying and managing cybersecurity risk related to various types of transactions. He also leads incident response teams for ransomware and wire fraud cases.
Justin is a co-host of the podcast She Said Privacy/He Said Security – which he co-hosts with his wife Jodi Daniels (who is a privacy consultant). Justin also co-authored a book with his wife, titled “Data Reimagined: Building Trust One Byte At A Time”.
During our conversation, Justin discusses how companies can support innovation while also managing cybersecurity and data protection issues. He shares examples of situations where a lack of privacy and a lack of security in computing services resulted in huge losses due to lawsuits.
Listen carefully as Justin provides valuable tips and guidance for protecting your data and managing your cybersecurity protection.
“You must be a lifetime learner because education doesn’t stop when you leave school – that’s when your education is just beginning.” – Justin Daniels
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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A first step to protecting your company
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The relationship between innovation, cybersecurity, and data protection
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Motivating better security through government regulation
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How to do a better job of listening
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The motivation behind writing the book Data Reimagined
Resources:
Justin & Jodi’s Book: Data Reimagined: Building Trust One Byte At A Time https://www.amazon.com/Data-Reimagined-Building-Trust-Byte/dp/1544534833
Justin & Jodi’s Podcast: She Said Privacy/He Said Security https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/she-said-privacy-he-said-security/id1536859760
Book Recommendation: Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss https://www.amazon.com/Never-Split-Difference-Negotiating-Depended/dp/1847941486
Connect with Justin Daniels:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinsdaniels/
Website: https://www.bakerdonelson.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Are you effectively leveraging your innovation and automation to improve efficiency?
On this episode of the podcast, I am talking with Andrew Cohen.
Andrew is the Managing Director of Netsurit and the Managing Partner of EVOKE. These companies partner with clients to build modern workplace solutions that address organizational and technological challenges.
During our discussion, Andrew explains how he and his team help companies stay competitive through innovation and automation. He talks about the relationship between innovation and automation.
During our conversation, Andrew talks about “Innovate as a Service” – a new term for me. I encourage you to listen as Andrew explains how Netsurit uses “Innovate as a Service” with its clients. It may give you some new ideas for your own business.
I’m sure you will enjoy this conversation with Andrew and get some insights on using innovation and automation to strengthen your company’s competitive advantage.
“Look at your current business activities, identify any inefficiencies, and leverage your existing technology to be more efficient.” – Andrew Cohen
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Staying competitive through innovation and automation
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Providing innovation as an ongoing service
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Implementing Innovate as a Service
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User adoption as part of the innovation and automation process
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Fostering an innovative spirit in your organization
Connect with Andrew Cohen:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-cohen-91945a4/
Website: https://netsurit.com/en-us/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Is your company protected against cyber attacks?
On this episode of the podcast, I am talking with Scott McCrady.
Scott is the CEO of SolCyber, which provides Managed Security Services.
Scott has 25 years of experience working in the areas of networking, telecommunications, and information security. He has experience with large corporations (like IBM and EDS) and several technology startups.
During our discussion, Scott shares tips and experiences to help tech companies successfully implement cybersecurity in their organization. For example, he shares critical cybersecurity tools that increase the security posture of small- to mid-sized companies.
I’m sure you will get value from this discussion with Scott, and you will learn how to strengthen your company’s cybersecurity.
“The customers love it because they get a best-in-class security program in a per user, per month model.” – Scott McCrady
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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The “modern engagement model” for cybersecurity
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Finding the business reason people want to buy your product
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De-risking a company’s operational security and financial standpoints
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Focusing on solving business problems
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Identifying your core skill set
Book recommendations:
The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale https://www.amazon.com/Power-Positive-Thinking-Ultimate-Grapevine/dp/9356617465
Only the Paranoid Survive by Andrew Grove https://www.amazon.com/Only-Paranoid-Survive-Andrew-Grove/dp/1861975139
Connect with Scott McCrady:
Website: https://solcyber.com/
Email: scott@solcyber.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottmccrady/
White Paper (Protection Guide for Tech Startups):
Free download: https://stevesponseller.com/guide
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Would you like a roadmap that helps your tech startup grow while you maintain control of the company?
On this episode, I have a great discussion with Ron Bauer who helps companies launch and raise funds without giving up control of the company.
Ron is a venture capitalist and entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience in technology, life sciences, education technology, and natural resources. He has created a number of ventures with leading entrepreneurs and scientists. He is the founder and managing partner of Theseus Capital.
Ron has also launched ventures with several academic institutions, such as Oxford, Cambridge, Stanford, and Cornell.
He has as strong track record of nurturing innovative concepts and supporting entrepreneurs and scientists from early-stage startups to initial public offerings. Ron has successfully raised capital across many sectors, multiple geographies, and ever-changing market conditions.
I’m sure you will enjoy this discussion with Ron, where he shares his expertise with launching and growing tech companies, and discusses strategies for raising funds.
“The roadmap we created allows the founders to maintain control of the company and retain full scientific and creative freedom.” – Ron Bauer
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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What investors look for in tech startups
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Creating and launching university spin-out companies
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Adapting to changing economic environments
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The critical importance of intellectual property
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Identifying hot sectors based on changing market conditions
Book recommendations:
Upsiders by Bobby Castro: https://www.amazon.com/UPSIDERS-confusion-distractions-create-permanent/dp/B09ZCQSCSP
The Breakthrough Code by Tom McCarthy: https://www.amazon.com/Breakthrough-Code-Living-Without-Limits/dp/B09RPWV5VG
Connect with Ron Bauer:
Website: https://thescapital.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronbauer888/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ronbauer888
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronbauer888
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Would you like to automate your marketing activities?
On this episode, I have the pleasure of talking with Anu Shukla, who is a serial entrepreneur with more than 25 years of high-tech industry experience. She is an active angel investor personally supporting and investing in women and minority led enterprises.
Anu has founded and exited several software companies: ranging from a Fintech loyalty currency company to Adtech and marketing automation companies. She has successfully exited two startups with $600M in enterprise value.
In her current role, Anu is a Co-founder and Executive Chair of Botco.ai, an emerging player in the application of AI/NLP to enterprise marketing automation.
And, she is named as an inventor on four patents based on her work in the technology industry.
“You want to turn your website into a conversation.” – Anu Shukla
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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The best way to start integrating chatbots into your business
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Current marketing automation breakthroughs using AI and other technologies
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Marketing trends that use AI to stay nimble and campaign-driven
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The art and data science of marketing
Resources Mentioned:
Get a free copy of Anu’s Book: 25 Best Practices to Turn Your Website Into a Conversation
Connect with Anu Shukla:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anushukla/
Website: https://www.botco.ai/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Are you leveraging the data in your business to solve important problems?
Today I am talking with Colette Grail, who is a former Navy pilot and describes herself as a “data and emerging technology geek.” She is obsessed with ensuring that individuals, leaders, communities, and countries understand data.
During her 30 year career as a U.S. Naval Officer, Colette provided important insights for strategic and tactical decisions. Based on that experience, she wrote a book on making decisions with Big Data.
Colette’s book has just been released – the title is: The Fallacy of Laying Flat.
On today’s episode, Colette and I discuss the differences between Small Data and Big Data. She also explains how to solve Big Problems with Big Data.
I’m sure you will enjoy my discussion with Colette and the tips and recommendations she shares for your business.
“Data needs to be real time and interactive in order to have relevance and context.” – Colette Grail
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Important differences between big data and small data
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What motivated you to write the book: The Fallacy of Laying Flat?
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How are big problems solved with big data?
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The 3 Vs of big data
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Ideas for visualizing data
Colette’s Book: The Fallacy of Laying Flat
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BPGGF753
Connect with Colette Grail:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colettegrail/
Website: http://whatsthebigdataidea.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Need help growing your tech company? Learn from a serial technology entrepreneur who created and incubated nearly a dozen startups.
On today’s episode, I am talking with Jay Bartot.
Jay is the CEO of Zeitworks, which is an artificial intelligence-powered business process intelligence platform. The Zeitworks systems provide enterprises with data-driven insights and tools to improve and transform their business process operations.
Jay is a serial technology entrepreneur and innovator with more than 20 years of experience developing data and machine learning applications. As a co-founder of several companies, Jay has built technology teams, innovative analytics, and machine learning platforms.
Prior to founding Zeitworks, Jay was CTO and Managing Director at Madrona Venture Labs, where he helped create and incubate nearly a dozen startups.
Jay is also involved with Go Vertical, which provides startup creation workshops focused on technology entrepreneurship.
I hope you enjoy my discussion with Jay, where he shares tips and recommendations for launching and growing tech companies.
“Acquiring a tech startup can help larger companies stay at the forefront of technology and innovation.” – Jay Bartot
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Using artificial intelligence to improve business processes
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Experiences with company acquisitions
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Lessons learned from incubating tech startups
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Developments in RPA (Robotic Process Automation)
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Maintaining effective communication channels between team members
Connect with Jay Bartot:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-bartot/ (get Jay’s attention by mentioning that you heard him on the Tech Leader Talk podcast)
Website: https://zeitworks.com
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Looking for tips from an experienced tech startup leader?
On today’s episode, I am talking with Joyce Durst.
Joyce is the CEO and co-Founder of Growth Acceleration Partners (referred to as “GAP”). GAP is a strategic technology solutions partner and a leader in digital transformation consulting.
When Joyce was a kid, she refused to accept the belief that “girls don’t do math” and kids from her small hometown don’t pursue college degrees. Joyce overcame both of those mindsets and earned a B.S. in Computer Science from Texas A&M University.
Joyce started her career at IBM and moved into Executive roles at multiple companies before founding Growth Acceleration Partners.
Joyce is a sought-after speaker on the topics of leadership and women in business.
“I realized that if I really wanted to have impact on a company’s direction and on the lives of other people, I would need to become a CEO.” – Joyce Durst
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Lessons from 21 years of experience as a CEO
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Starting with a foundation of values
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Tips for growing your team
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Managing remote work for team members
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The importance of occasional in-person team meetings
Connect with Joyce Durst:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joycedurst/
Website: https://www.growthaccelerationpartners.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On today’s episode, I’m talking Ali Davachi, who is a serial entrepreneur with 25 years of experience working with Fortune 500 organizations in healthcare, consumer products, and financial services. He helps businesses develop innovative solutions that save money and support new business opportunities.
Ali is a Digital Transformation expert and shows companies how to stay focused on business outcomes.
During our discussion, he shares his story of going from medical school to the world of technology.
“Digital transformation means meeting companies and clients where they are.” – Ali Davachi
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
- How companies can stay focused on business outcomes
- Why Digital Transformation is so important today
- Ali’s approach to helping entrepreneurs and small companies that are just getting started
- A process for incremental testing, measurement, and adjustment
Mentioned Resources:
- Realware
Connect with Ravi:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alidavachi/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/adavachi
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Are you following your passion?
On today’s episode, I have a fun conversation with Paul Baron where Paul talks about the importance of following your passion.
Paul is the CEO of The Wall Printer, which produces printers that can print vertically. He started his career as a high school teacher, then became an entrepreneur who has started several businesses.
In addition to running The Wall Printer, Paul serves as a mentor at the Univ. of North Carolina – Wilmington and at their Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. He also serves on advisory boards at non-profit organizations and privately held businesses.
On this episode, Paul and I discuss his thoughts on mentoring and how he has developed creative teams at high-tech startups.
“To have the best opportunity for success, you need to learn which hats (activities) you like to wear and the ones you don’t like to wear. Then move towards the activities you enjoy and that benefit the stakeholders.” – Paul Baron
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Tips for developing creative teams in high-tech startups
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Attracting and retaining great employees
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Lessons learned from being a mentor
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Making the jump from high school teacher to entrepreneur
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Following your passion
Demo Video of The Wall Printer in action: https://thewallprinter.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/10-Sec-Oak-Island-Loop.mp4
Connect with Paul Baron:
Website: https://thewallprinter.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pbbaron/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
It’s hard to believe that there’s less than two months left in 2022. That means 2023 is just around the corner.
Since the new year is approaching fast, on this episode I talk about three things you can do now to be sure your Patent Strategy is off to a good start in 2023.
The three things I recommend are:
- Check for patent filing deadlines.
- Educate your team regarding how to identify inventions AND encourage them to submit their ideas.
- Create a group of people to evaluate the inventions submitted by your team.
I discuss all three of these activities in today’s episode.
If you’re ready to start building (or expanding) your patent portfolio in 2023, now is a great time to get started.
“There are three activities that automatically trigger a 12-month patent filing deadline in the United States.” – Steve Sponseller
Questions?
If you have any questions about building a strong portfolio of patents, contact me to schedule a Free Introductory Call so I can help you with your next steps.
Contact me via email: Steve@SteveSponseller.com
Or visit my website: https://www.SteveSponseller.com
Download my free white paper, InventLock™ Protection Guide for Tech Startups, at: https://stevesponseller.com/guide
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of my latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover my proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Are you moving fast enough?
On today’s episode, I have a wonderful discussion with Nick Donofrio, who has spent most of his life as a technology leader. Although Nick had countless accomplishments, he wonders if he was moving fast enough.
Nick worked in various roles at IBM for 44 years. During that time, he redefined innovation at IBM and initiated worldwide collaboration for the company.
Nick was the first Executive Vice President of Innovation and Technology at IBM. And, he was named one of Business Week’s 25 top innovation champions.
Nick is the author of the book: If Nothing Changes, Nothing Changes. The book discusses how Nick and others led IBM’s global technical team.
During our discussion, Nick talks about how Innovation played an important role in IBM’s transformation during his 44 years at the company.
I’m sure you will enjoy this discussion (and get some tips for your own business, like I did) as Nick shares his knowledge and experiences during his many years at IBM.
“Transforming IBM into an innovation company was all about value creation.” – Nick Donofrio
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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How IBM was transformed into an innovation company
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Helping your team members be more successful
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The role of Nick’s mom in his career
Nick’s Book:
If Nothing Changes, Nothing Changes: https://www.amazon.com/If-Nothing-Changes-Donofrio-Story/dp/1544531346
Connect with Nick Donofrio:
Website: https://www.nickdonofriobook.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-donofrio-7588609/
Download Steve’s free white paper, InventLock™ Protection Guide for Tech Startups, at: https://stevesponseller.com/guide
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Eric is a best selling author, speaker, and pragmatic futurist.
Eric is focused on addressing disruption by increasing the creative capacity of individuals, teams, and organizations to ignite change, innovation, and foster continuous growth.
Eric has an undergraduate degree in engineering, an MBA in Information Systems, and a Ph.D. in Global Leadership. His doctoral work primarily explored complexity sciences centered on executive cognition and their use of intuitive improvisation, decision-making, artificial intelligence, and data-based decision models.
Eric’s recent book, Surfing Rogue Waves released last year. His love of being active and outdoors led him to use the parallels between life and surfing as a metaphor for how we can deal with the changes happening around us.
“If we don’t ‘ride’ the 4th Industrial Revolution, we will be left behind.” – Eric Pilon-Bignell
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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What is the 4th Industrial Revolution and how is it changing the world
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How surfing is related to the 4th Industrial Revolution
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Why disruption is the new normal
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Technology advancements are happening exponentially faster and converging with each other
Resources Mentioned:
Eric’s Book: Surfing Rogue Waves
Connect with Eric Pilon-Bignell:
Website: http://ericpb.me
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericpilonbignell/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Are you practicing user-centered design?
On this episode, I talk with Eric Weiss, who is an Executive Coach to fast-growing tech companies. He is also the Host of the Chaos to Clarity podcast.
For the past 15 years, Eric has helped companies build amazing products, engage their customers, find the right product-market fit, raise capital, and scale their businesses quickly.
Eric has been obsessed with technology since he was a child, which led him to the work he’s doing today with tech companies. He loves helping tech founders build and implement their product strategy to grow their companies.
During our discussion, Eric talks about challenges facing tech companies today and how to overcome those challenges.
Eric also shares a great tip to organize your week and schedule focus blocks in your calendar every day.
“Tech leaders can be a bottleneck to their company’s growth if they don’t let go of some activities.” – Eric Weiss
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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The importance of user-centered design
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Engaging with customers early and often
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Eric’s “continuous discovery” system
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The “weekly sprint” Eric uses to stay focused
Eric’s Podcast:
Chaos to Clarity podcast: https://www.fullcycleproduct.com/podcast
Connect with Eric Weiss:
Website: https://www.fullcycleproduct.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericmweiss/
Download Steve’s free white paper, InventLock™ Protection Guide for Tech Startups, at: https://stevesponseller.com/guide
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Are you looking for a new approach to create unique products?
On this podcast episode, I have a great discussion with Mike Rizkalla, the CEO and co-founder of Snorble. Snorble makes an interactive companion for children that helps promote the development of healthy habits.
Mike is a visionary entrepreneur with a deep understanding of robotics, innovation, and user experiences. He enjoys merging different technologies together in a unique way.
Mike also loves innovation and experimenting with “Crazy Ideas.” And, he shares his story of being a guitarist in a Canadian punk rock band and what he learned from that experience.
During our call, Mike discusses building strong organizational cultures across a team of diverse talents, which he has done with Snorble. And, he talks about how he came up with the idea for the Snorble product.
“Many of the lessons I use in business came from my experience as a musician in a Canadian Punk Rock band.” – Mike Rizkalla
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Mike’s approach to creating innovative products
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Building strong teams with diverse talent
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Combining multiple technologies to create new things
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How Mike came up with the idea of pairing AI/robotics with kids’ sleep
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Incorporating innovation into your regular business operations
Connect with Mike Rizkalla:
Website: https://snorble.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikerizkalla/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Are you struggling to understand your company’s financial data?
On today’s podcast episode, I talk with Rami Essaid about his experience founding and growing several tech companies.
Rami is the CEO and co-founder of Finmark, which provides financial planning software for fast-growing companies. He has also founded two other startups, both of which were acquired.
Rami is passionate about disrupting industries with technological innovations – from bot detection and mitigation to Excel-based financial modeling. He founded Finmark based on seeing first-hand the many difficulties faced by companies attempting to implement financial modeling.
On this episode, Rami and I discuss tips for treating team members well and how to talk to your customers to identify issues with your product or service.
“I don’t want to build a ‘me too’ product. I want to create an order of magnitude improvement.” – Rami Essaid
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Rami’s approach to disrupting industries
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Helping entrepreneurs bring their visions to life
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Creating a second tier of management to support scalability
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Problems companies face today with their financial data
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The value of user interviews
Connect with Rami Essaid:
Website: https://finmark.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ramiessaid
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Is your company leveraging the latest data sharing and data storage technologies?
On today’s episode, I am talking with Tim Wagner. Tim is the CEO of Vendia, which provides a platform that combines next generation blockchain with a serverless infrastructure.
Tim is passionate about growing teams within organizations and innovating problems related to data sharing. He also has technical knowledge in programming languages, modern databases, and algorithm design.
On today’s episode, Tim and I discuss the power of combining serverless architectures with blockchain technologies. We also discuss the value of transparency in your organization and growing strong teams.
“If you’re going to build a blockchain technology that services millions of customers, you need access to enough silicon to do that.” – Tim Wagner
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
Current data sharing and data storage trends
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The importance of transparency in your business
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Tips for growing strong teams
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The power of combining blockchain with serverless infrastructures
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The growth of multi-cloud systems
Connect with Tim Wagner:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timawagner/
Website: https://www.vendia.net/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/timallenwagner
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Are you frustrated with the typical selling process?
On this episode, Farnoosh Brock shares her story about developing a serving mindset. Instead of traditional selling, she teaches how to build relationships that result in repeat clients.
Farnoosh worked for 12 years as an electrical engineer at a Fortune 100 company and is now an entrepreneur teaching business leaders how to adopt a serving mindset.
Farnoosh is the author of the book, “The Serving Mindset: Stop Selling and Grow your Business.”
During our interview, Farnoosh also talks about her leadership training programs.
“We need to have sales, but we don’t need to sell to achieve those sales.” – Farnoosh Brock
We discuss:
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How to develop a serving mindset
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Building relationships with prospective clients
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Transferring your technical knowledge/skills to other company roles
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How introverts can develop a serving mindset
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Why a serving mindset gives you a competitive advantage
Links and Resources
Farnoosh Brock – The Serving Mindset: Stop Selling and Grow Your Business
Farnoosh's Website
Farnoosh's LinkedIn Profile
Steve Sponseller - Website
Steve Sponseller – Cracking the Patent Code
On this episode, I have a fun discussion with Vaclav Vincalek.
Vaclav is a technology entrepreneur, CTO, and technology advisor for startups and enterprises.
Vaclav helps companies strategize, innovate, and grow.
His current focus is determining how to best deploy machine learning to support business objectives. He is also exploring how visionary, forward-thinking companies can use quantum computing.
Vaclav frequently speaks at technology industry conferences and contributes commentary for technology reporters.
“Our goal should be to create technology that offloads mundane tasks from humans.” – Vaclav Vincalek
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
How humans and artificial intelligence can compliment one another
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Identifying the best tasks for machines to handle
-
How to leverage artificial intelligence in your business
Connect with Vaclav:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincalek/
Website: https://555vCTO.com
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Do you want to become a better leader?
On this episode, I am talking with Tom Kereszti, who shares his leadership experiences.
Tom is a former Fortune 500 CEO, an author, a coach, and a leadership mentor. His leadership techniques come from a lifetime of international business experience.
Tom’s book is titled: C-Suite and Beyond – The 4 Keys to Leadership Success. During our discussion, Tom mentions the motivation behind his book and explains the most important leadership principles.
During our interview, Tom also talks about mentorship as well as building strong and diverse teams.
“I’ve been a natural leader all my life since I was a kid.” – Tom Kereszti
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Why relationships are so important to leadership
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Tips on finding a mentor
-
Servant leadership
-
The importance of culture and vision
-
John Maxwell’s leadership approach
Resources:
Book: C-Suite & Beyond by Tom Kereszti – https://www.leadershipdisciples.com/purchase-book/
Live2Lead Event: https://www.leadershipdisciples.com/live2lead/
Connect with Tom Kereszti:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomaskereszti/
Website: https://www.leadershipdisciples.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Are you confused about funding options for your tech company?
On this episode of Tech Leader Talk, I am talking with Melissa Widner. She is the CEO of Lighter Capital, which is a leader in revenue-based financing.
Melissa has experience as a founder with multiple exits, an angel investor, and a VC investor. This gives her an interesting perspective on how to fund startups.
On this episode, Melissa and I discuss different types of funding options for tech startups – and the advantages & disadvantages of each option.
We also talk about revenue-based financing and when that’s a good option to consider.
And, Melissa shares her thoughts on when founders should consider bootstrapping their business.
“Startup entrepreneurs are the most fascinating people on the planet.” – Melissa Widner
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Different funding options for tech startups – and how to choose the best option
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Raising capital without giving up equity or control
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How to raise capital in today’s business environment
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When should you consider revenue-based financing
-
Bootstrapping your tech startup
Connect with Melissa Widner:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissawidner/
Website: https://www.lightercapital.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Do you want to be a Remarkable Leader?
That’s what Kevin Eikenberry is discussing on this episode of the podcast. Kevin is the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group and the Co-Founder of the Remote Leadership Institute. He has spent 30 years helping organizations and leaders from over 40 countries become more effective. Inc.com has twice named him as one of the top 100 Leadership and Management Experts in the World.
Kevin has written several books on leadership, including his latest book The Long-Distance Teammate.
Today we will be talking about how leaders and other team members need to adapt to the new working environments caused by the remote working world. Kevin manages his own team of remote workers and shares tips for thriving in remote and hybrid work environments.
“We are at a moment that matters for all organizations.” – Kevin Eikenberry
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Three things that kept Kevin’s business going through the pandemic
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How to Lead for Commitment (instead of compliance)
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Discover how to decide whether to 1) stay remote, 2) bring everyone back to the office, or 3) a hybrid
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Thoughts on how the pandemic has accelerated remote work by a decade
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How to replicate creative “water cooler conversations” in a remote working situation
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Three things that help business leader handle unpredictable events
Are you considering migrating your business activities to the cloud? This podcast episode can help.
On this episode, I have a valuable discussion with Ankur Gupta.
Ankur is the CEO of Bitwise, which provides technology consulting and data management solutions. Ankur and his team are working to modernize data warehousing and business intelligence in the cloud.
Ankur and I discuss current problems companies face trying to modernize their data warehouse and business intelligence systems. Ankur explains solutions to those problems.
We also talk about how to successfully migrate your business activities to the cloud.
“We are seeing new (and easier to use) cloud-based tools being created to help with cloud management.” – Ankur Gupta
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
The biggest problems when modernizing your data warehouse
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What happens after migrating workloads to the cloud
-
Managing business intelligence in the cloud
-
Building an innovation culture
Connect with Ankur Gupta:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/unamigo/
Website: https://www.bitwiseglobal.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On this episode, I talk with Camela Thompson, who is the VP of Marketing at CaliberMind, which provides a B2B platform for revenue insights. She is also a thought leader, an entrepreneur, a podcaster, and an author.
Camela and I discuss B2B marketing. In particular, Camela explains “The War Between Art & Science” – which includes issues related to digital marketing in today’s world.
We also talk about the ability to track and analyze results in different types of marketing.
“We now have the ability to measure the impact of the creative item we’re testing.” – Camela Thompson
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
How to solve the conflict between art and science in marketing
-
A common website problem you can easily fix in a few minutes
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How Camela's background in data has helped her succeed as a marketer
-
B2B priorities for tech companies
-
Modifying your website pages based on who is viewing the content
Resources:
The Revenue Marketing Report Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-revenue-marketing-report/id1568810136
Book: Non-Violent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg (https://www.nonviolentcommunication.com/product/nvc/)
Connect with Camela Thompson:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/camela-thompson/
Website: https://www.calibermind.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On today’s episode, I talk with Prabhjot Singh about his experience as a serial entrepreneur and his strong background in business and technology.
In his current role at Pyze, he develops solutions for businesses to increase productivity using a low code, AI-powered process intelligence platform.
He is passionate about operational excellence and process improvement. During our interview, Prabhjot provides tips on how businesses can improve business operations using AI-driven process intelligence and analytics.
“There’s no substitute for talking with your customers and understanding their challenges.” – Prabhjot Singh
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
Implementing AI-driven process intelligence and analytics to improve operational efficiency
-
How the idea behind Pyze was created
-
Understanding and improving your business processes
-
The importance of trust and transparency as a tech leader
-
Benefits of one-on-one meetings with team members
Connect with Prabhjot Singh:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/psinghsf/
Website: https://www.pyze.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/psinghsf
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On today’s episode, I am talking with Sagi Brody about cloud-based technology.
Sagi is an expert in digital evolution, data recovery, and compliance. He is the CTO at Opti9, which is a hybrid cloud solution provider.
We discuss the importance of building solutions, not just technology. We also talk about how Sagi and the team at Opti9 use innovation to build valuable solutions.
As a patent attorney, I work with inventors every day, so I really enjoyed talking with Sagi about his approach to innovation.
The information shared by Sagi will be valuable in your business.
“There is no single platform that’s best to host all of your workloads.” – Sagi Brody
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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How to build solutions, not just technology
-
Managing complexity creep
-
Benefits of identifying problems faced by your clients
-
Striving for simplicity and reducing complexity
-
Combining innovation with building solutions
Connect with Sagi Brody:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sagi-brody
Website: https://opti9tech.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SagiBrody
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On this episode, Taylor Murphy and I talk about analyzing data and his expertise in data engineering.
During his career, Taylor has been leading and building data-informed teams. He describes himself as a scientist, engineer, and data geek who loves pulling data from everywhere to discover meaningful insights hidden in the numbers.
Taylor explains the different types of data analysis and the questions you need to consider before starting any data analysis project. If you don’t answer these preliminary questions, your results may not have any value.
Taylor and I also discuss how organizations can best use their data to make smart business decisions.
I encourage you to listen as Taylor shares valuable tips you can use to grow and strengthen your company.
“Data analysis allows us to better represent reality.” – Taylor Murphy
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Questions to ask before starting a data analysis project
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The impact of data on people’s lives
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The difference between descriptive analytics and predictive analytics
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Finding insights in large sets of data
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Using manual processing prior to automated data processing
Connect with Taylor Murphy:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tayloramurphy/
Website: https://www.meltano.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tayloramurphy
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Roy Nallapeta is a Co-founder and CEO at Glance Inc. Roy is an engineer, turned into a marketer, who loves creativity and creating copy for marketing.
Glance Inc. has created a no-code Artificial Intelligence marketing SaaS product (Software as a Service). This product helps marketers increase their return on investment, decrease acquisition costs, and improve productivity. He previously founded AdNuance, a digital marketing company, and bootstrapped the business for eight years.
Being immersed in the problems related to traditional marketing techniques drove Roy to create Glance Inc.
In this episode, Roy and I discuss the new marketing insights being generated based on cloud-based data and artificial intelligence. We also talk about new tools that will improve marketing insights and results for many companies.
“Marketing can be better if we leverage data technologies.” – Roy Nallapeta
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
How the cloud is providing new marketing insights
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Advantages of using a Marketing Graph to optimize your advertising
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Discover why Artificial Intelligence is a game-changer for marketing
-
Changes that are happening to the traditional advertising funnel
Connect with Roy:
Website: https://www.glancehq.ai
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohitnallapeta
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohynal
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On today’s episode, I’m talking with Rob Whalen about his experience at several technology companies including the company he co-founded, PTO Exchange.
As a serial entrepreneur, Rob discusses when he believes it’s time to “switch” to a new opportunity. He also talks about how his degree in accounting gives him an edge as an entrepreneur.
I love hearing stories about how new business ideas come about. When working with inventors, I always want to hear about how the inventors came up with a particular invention.
During our discussion, Rob shares how a meeting at his house generated the idea behind PTO Exchange. Anyone listening to this episode can do the same thing!
Rob also talks about how his current company found its first customers and how they needed to make some changes early on to attract their “real” target customers.
“I look at money as someone’s time that they worked to make that money.” – Rob Whalen
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
Testing demand for a product before launching the company
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Deciding when to “switch” to a new entrepreneurial opportunity
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How the idea for PTO Exchange came about
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The importance of failing
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How PTO Exchange helps companies attract and retain employees
Connect with Rob Whalen:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-whalen-1287077/
Website: https://www.ptoexchange.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On today’s episode, I’m talking with Rob Dickinson about APIs (Application Programming Interfaces). Think of APIs as software tools that allow two applications to talk to each other.
Rob has lots of experience working with APIs at several large technology companies. Even if you don’t work with APIs, Rob will be discussing security issues that companies need to be aware of related to APIs.
Rob will also share the story behind the idea for Resurface Labs, which he co-founded.
There are many security threats facing companies today. Rob will explain the threats related to APIs and how to minimize those risks.
“85% of worldwide traffic over the internet is through APIs according to Gartner.” – Rob Dickinson
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
- Why APIs are so important today
- Security issues associated with APIs
- How companies can prepare for coming API changes
- APIs are changing your company boundaries
- Tips for making important business decisions
Connect with Rob Dickinson:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robfromboulder/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/robfromboulder
Website: https://resurface.io/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On today’s episode, I talk with Girish Redekar about his experience launching two tech companies.
Girish is an entrepreneur and he is passionate about programming. One of the companies he founded, Recruiter Box, grew to 2500 customers, and had a successful exit. He then founded his current company, Sprinto.
Girish has an interesting perspective. He bootstrapped his first company and grew it to an eight figure exit. But he’s taking a different approach with his current company.
Launching and growing tech companies is an important topic. In this episode, Girish provides some valuable information related to growing a company, planning an exit, and more.
“Get married to problems, not solutions.” – Girish Redekar
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
- The ideas behind launching Recruiter Box and Sprinto
- How these two companies found their first customers
- Tips for growing your tech company
- What Girish learned from overcoming company growth struggles
- Finding the “sweet spot” of clients for your business
This discussion will help you be successful in your business and avoid some common mistakes.
Connect with Girish Redekar:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/girishredekar/
Website: https://sprinto.com
**Thanks for listening!**
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Joel Beasley is the host of the Modern CTO Podcast where he has interviewed more than 450 technology leaders.
Joel is also a CTO himself – he’s the current CTO of LeaderBits, which helps train people to be successful leaders. The LeaderBits company grew out of the Modern CTO podcast, by identifying the patterns and habits of successful leaders that got them to the top of their organization. The company has trained more than 2000 leaders at companies around the world.
Joel also likes to play the drums and guitar. And he loves spending time with his wife and children.
“The product was a failure because it didn’t solve a problem that was large enough for people to pay money for it.” – Joel Beasley
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:- Common habits of great tech leaders
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How a new business grew out of Joel’s podcast
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Training people to be successful leaders
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How to make yourself a more valuable team member
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How success grew out of several failures
ResourcesBook: Joel’s book, Modern CTO ( https://moderncto.io/book/ )
Connect with Joel Beasley:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelbeasleyleader/
Modern CTO Podcast: https://moderncto.io/
**Thanks for listening!**
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Justin Beals is the Co-Founder and CEO of Strike Graph, which is a security compliance company. He’s a serial entrepreneur with expertise in Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, and governance.
Justin started Strike Graph to eliminate the confusion related to cybersecurity audits and certification processes. He enjoys making arcane cybersecurity standards plain and straightforward to achieve.
In his role as CEO, Justin organizes strategic innovations at the crossroads of cybersecurity and compliance. He focuses on helping customers get significant value from Strike Graph.
Justin has a BA in English and Theater from Fort Lewis College and lives in the Seattle area.
“70% of data breaches are coming from third parties. So, it’s important to ask deep questions about your vendors and their security.” – Justin Beals
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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The importance of cybersecurity audits and certification processes
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A first step for companies to strengthen their cybersecurity
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How a BA in English and Theater is helpful in the tech world
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Establishing a culture of employee growth
-
The value of Improv to your sales team
Resources
Book: 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus by Charles C. Mann - https://www.amazon.com/1491-Revelations-Americas-Before-Columbus/dp/1400032059
Connect with Justin Beals:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jubeals/
Website: https://www.strikegraph.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
James Fair has more than 35 years of experience in IT (information technology) and leadership. Today, he combines his love of IT and cybersecurity with his passion for Leadership development.
James started as an entry-level technician and worked his way through many positions to become a Senior Vice President. During that time, he gained significant experience in all aspects of IT.
Now, James teaches other IT professionals and IT leaders how to create high-performance teams through people-first focused leadership. He teaches these principles to corporate teams as well as individuals.
“Transformative and inspirational leaders aren’t born, they’re made.” – James Fair
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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James’ unique perspective on IT issues after working in many IT roles
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How companies can keep up with the constantly changing cybersecurity landscape
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The biggest cybersecurity mistake made by small companies
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The point at which a company should consider outsourced IT services
-
A discussion of people-first leadership
ResourcesBook: Dare to Lead by Brene Brown – https://brenebrown.com/book/dare-to-lead/
Connect with James Fair:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesmfair/
Website: https://executech.com
**Thanks for listening!**
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Corey has worked in the security industry for more than 25 years and has successfully built and implemented security strategies and led consulting teams. He has worked with almost every industry, including government, high tech, hospitality, critical infrastructure, finance, healthcare, and manufacturing.
Today, Corey is disrupting the modern approach to cybersecurity with the company he co-founded, Cyvatar.ai. Cyvatar is making cybersecurity effortless for businesses with fully managed customer-centric solutions that are mapped to business outcomes.
Corey’s mission for Cyvatar is to transform the way the security industry builds, sells, and supports cyber solutions.
“Even with Web 3.0, you still need to implement Web 1.0 & 2.0 security measures.” – Corey White
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Why cybersecurity is so important to the future of business
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How Cybersecurity-as-a-Service benefits companies
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Remote workers and the impact of cyber attacks
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The biggest mistake that increases the likelihood of a cyber attack
-
A first step to strengthen your cybersecurity
ResourcesBook: Bold by Peter Diamandis (https://www.diamandis.com/bold)
Connect with Eric Daimler:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreydwhite/
Website: https://cyvatar.ai/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Alina is an award-winning professional working with Financial Services organizations in the areas of cloud-based systems, data, and digital technologies. She was recently recognized in the “Who’s Who in Cloud?” report as an influencer and keynote speaker.
Outside of work, Alina gives back to her community by mentoring immigrants and women of diverse cultural and social backgrounds.
Alina presented a TEDx Talk titled “Fail But Never Give Up.” Her presentation had more than 280,000 views in 3 months. She discusses her TEDx Talk on this episode and explains how the stories in that presentation have changed her life.
“Let your failures be your catalyst that motivates you to adapt.” – Alina Timofeeva
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
How have failures motivated you
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The real value of using cloud technologies
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What changes may be coming to cloud technologies
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Mentoring immigrants and women of diverse cultural and social backgrounds
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Is it time to remediate cloud
ResourcesAlina’s TEDx Talk: Fail But Never Give Up - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPZYSBBpRwU
Connect with Alina Timofeeva:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atimofeeva/
**Thanks for listening!**
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Eric is an authority in Artificial Intelligence with over 20 years of experience in the field as an entrepreneur, executive, investor, technologist, and policy advisor. He is the CEO and Co-Founder of Conexus, which provides solutions that analyze and integrate large amounts of data from multiple sources.
Eric is a frequent speaker, lecturer, and commentator. He works to empower communities and citizens to leverage AI for a more sustainable, secure, and prosperous future.
Eric studied at Stanford University, the University of Washington-Seattle, and Carnegie Mellon University, where he earned his PhD in its School of Computer Science.
“Every company is going to become an Artificial Intelligence company.” – Eric Daimler
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Why Artificial Intelligence is the economic engine of the future
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The important relationship between Data Infrastructure and AI
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Policies and regulation related to AI
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Tasks that are best handled by AI today
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What’s coming next for AI
ResourcesBook: ReCulturing by Melissa Daimler - https://www.amazon.com/ReCulturing-Company-Culture-Connect-Strategy/dp/1264278608
Connect with Eric Daimler:
Website: https://conexus.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericdaimler/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ead
**Thanks for listening!**
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
John is a thought leader on the topics of digital strategies and innovation strategies. He is an advisor to companies and leaders who want to innovate and compete with more agility and effectiveness. John is also a keynote speaker on leadership for the digital era.
John is a former Amazon executive who was a leader in launching and scaling the Amazon Marketplace business and ran the enterprise services business at Amazon.
He is the author of three books, including The Amazon Way: Amazon’s 14 Leadership Principles.
John is an expert at leveraging the Amazon leadership principles to help people innovate, compete, and win in the digital world.
“Continually transform your business by making small tangible changes, learn from those changes, and continue with more changes.” – John Rossman
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
How companies can improve their Digital Transformation effectiveness
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What inspired John to write “The Amazon Way”
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What tech leaders can learn from the Amazon leadership principles
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Why “Customer Obsession” is the first principle discussed in John’s book
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What is the “diving deep” principle
Resources
John’s Book: The Amazon Way - https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Way-Amazons-Leadership-Principles/dp/173497916X
John’s Newsletter: The Digital Leader Newsletter - https://thedigitalleader.substack.com/
Book: The Founders by Jimmy Soni - https://www.amazon.com/Founders-Paypal-Entrepreneurs-Shaped-Silicon/dp/1501197266
**Connect with John Rossman:**
Website: http://rossmanpartners.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-rossman/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
William is an award-winning Diversity & Inclusion innovator, an engineering trailblazer, and a philanthropist. He is also a busy husband and father of three children.
William was named the first Technical Advisor to the CTO at Microsoft after helping develop critical code for many of Microsoft’s core products. William is also the co-founder of the LEAP apprenticeship program, which was named Microsoft’s Diversity & Inclusion program of the year in 2020.
Early in William’s software engineering career, he was one of the first black entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley. He is also the philanthropic founder of The EV3NT, which is a collaborative, community-based hackathon designed to use technology to address critical needs for people of color.
“Company leaders must understand the value in creating a diverse team of people with different perspectives.” – William Adams
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
The best way for tech companies to hire more people of color
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Why it is important for people of color to have an ownership stake in technology development
-
Trends that are impacting DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives
-
How The EV3NT is positively impacting communities
Connect with William Adams:
Website: https://www.william-a-adams.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thewilliamaadams/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeapToTech
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On this episode, Tony Ulwick and I discuss his innovation process that’s been used by companies around the world.
Tony is the inventor of the Outcome-Driven Innovation® (ODI) process and founder of strategy and innovation consulting firm, Strategyn. He has applied his ODI process at some of the world's leading companies and across nearly all industries to create breakthrough innovations - achieving a success rate that is five times better than the industry average.
Tony has been credited with bringing predictability to innovation. He has been published in the Harvard Business Review and the MIT Sloan Management Review.
Tony is the author of two best sellers: What Customers Want and Jobs-to-be-Done: Theory to Practice. Tony is also an inventor with 12 patents granted on his inventions.
“First discover unmet needs, then create solutions for those unmet needs.” – Tony Ulwick
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:- How companies can improve their innovation success rate
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The Jobs-to-be-Done process
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IBM’s billion dollar mistake
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How the ODI process is different from other innovation systems
-
Yes, you can bring predictability to innovation
Resources:Free book: https://jobs-to-be-done-book.com/
Tony’s blog: https://jobs-to-be-done.com/
Connect with Tony Ulwick:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonyulwick/
Website: https://strategyn.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On this episode, Kelli Lucas and I discuss her experience as a UX (user experience) designer. Kelli has 12 years of experience creating beautiful, engaging products for startups and enterprise clients alike. She has designed mobile and web products for FinTech, healthcare, publishing, sports, social media, advertising, education, logistics, and more.
Kelli is a co-founder and Chief Design Officer at Lunar Lab, a UX Design and Product Strategy firm. Lunar Lab empowers dreamers to create meaningful, impactful products through collaboration and innovation.
“Design decisions need to be aligned with your business decisions.” – Kelli Lucas
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
- Why you should involve end users in the design process
- How to design ethical products
- Creating meaningful, impactful products through collaboration and innovation
- Aligning design decisions with business decisions
- How to make technology more human
Resources:
Book: Ruined by Design (Mike Monteiro) – Available at: https://www.ruinedby.design/
Book: Mismatch (Kat Holmes) – Available at: https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/mismatch
Connect with Kelli Lucas:
Website: https://lunarlab.io
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelliklucas/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LunarLab_IO
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
In this solo episode, I discuss the importance of building a portfolio of patents that provides strong protection, a competitive advantage, and increases your company’s valuation.
This episode covers Step 3 of my 3-step system to identify and protect your most valuable inventions (described in my book, Cracking the Patent Code):
Step 1: Identify All Inventions
Step 2: Evaluate and Prioritize Inventions
Step 3: Protect the Right Inventions
Listen to this episode so you understand how to build a valuable portfolio of patents that provide broad protection for your business.
“Create ‘future inventions’ based on today’s industry trends and technology trends.” – Steve Sponseller
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast, I discuss the four categories of patents you want to include in your patent portfolio:
-
Core Technology
-
Critical Must-Have Features
-
Future Inventions
-
Defensive Patents
Questions?
If you have any questions about building a strong portfolio of patents, contact me to schedule a Free Introductory Call so I can help you with your next steps.
Contact me via email: Steve@SteveSponseller.com
Or visit my website: https://www.SteveSponseller.com
**Thanks for listening!**
Be sure to get your free copy of my latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover my proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On today’s episode, Miguel Heinonen and I discuss his experience as a tech entrepreneur who has worked in the startup community across the United States and the United Kingdom. He grew up in a variety of countries, including: Peru, Switzerland, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, UK, and the US.
Miguel is the Founder and CEO of Heirizon, which is a global employment platform that he bootstrapped and built from the ground up.
He is also an advisor to multiple tech companies located in Europe and the United States. As an advisor, he helps tech companies accelerate their lead generation and marketing processes into a hyper-growth mode.
“Today you can build an MVP for about $500.” – Miguel Heinonen
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
Developing your MVP (minimum viable product)
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Experiences with bootstrapping a company
-
Lead generation strategies
-
How to protect your company’s domain name from being flagged as a spammer
Connect with Miguel Heinonen:
Website1: https://www.heirizon.com/
Website2: https://www.miguelheinonen.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miguelheinonen/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
In this solo episode, I discuss the importance of evaluating inventions created throughout your organization. Some inventions are not worth protecting. To avoid patenting inventions with minimal value, it’s important to evaluate each invention based on the needs of your organization.
This episode covers Step 2 of my 3-step system to identify and protect your most valuable inventions (described in my book, Cracking the Patent Code):
Step 1: Identify All Inventions
Step 2: Evaluate and Prioritize Inventions
Step 3: Protect the Right Inventions
Listen to this episode so you understand how to properly evaluate all of the inventions created by your team.
“You can’t afford to protect every invention, so you must evaluate and prioritize.” – Steve Sponseller
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
How to identify inventions worth protecting
-
Defining evaluation criteria that’s unique to your company
-
Prioritizing inventions based on your evaluation criteria
-
How to create a diverse invention evaluation committee
-
Identifying inventions with high ROI (return on investment)
Questions?
If you have any questions about evaluating and prioritizing your critical inventions, contact me to schedule a Free Introductory Call so an important invention doesn’t fall through the cracks.
Contact me via email: Steve@SteveSponseller.com
Or visit my website: https://www.SteveSponseller.com
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of my latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover my proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On this episode, Omar Akhtar and I talk about his current work advising companies on digital marketing innovation. He focuses on content strategy, data-driven personalization, customer experience technology, and multi-channel marketing with technology companies.
Omar recently led the development of a new report: The 2021 State of Digital Transformation, from Altimeter. This study looks at the differences between businesses that succeeded at digital transformation and those that are struggling. We discuss the results of this study during this episode.
Omar graduated with a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University and has been a writer for Direct Marketing News, PR Week, and Fortune Magazine.
“Digital transformation is adapting to change that’s driven through innovation in the digital world.” – Omar Akhtar
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
- Key findings in The 2021 State of Digital Transformation report
- How to implement digital transformation in your company
- Who should lead a company’s digital transformation activities
- The next phase of digital transformation
- Prioritizing customer experience & employee experience
Resources:
Report: The 2021 State of Digital Transformation. Link to report: https://www.prophet.com/download/the-2021-state-of-digital-transformation/
Connect with Omar Akhtar:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omarbilalakhtar/
Website: https://www.prophet.com/altimeter/home/
**Thanks for listening!**
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On this episode, Jayant Chaudhary and I talk about his current work with technology companies.
Jayant is an Innovative CTO who works in the areas of ecommerce, marketing, payments, logistics, and team building.
He has 30 years of technology and leadership experience, and enjoys helping businesses make better technology decisions as they bring in new solutions. He’s been a tech leader at startups and Fortune 50 companies. Jayant has led teams of over 300 people and managed budgets of over $40 million.
Today, he is the CTO of eProxim, which provides technological expertise to solve complex ecommerce and middleware problems.
“Most technology projects run into trouble due to a lack of good communication.” – Jayant Chaudhary
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
- How to improve communication in tech startups
- The importance of developing trust with your team
- Tips for building a strong ecommerce platform
- How to grow your ecommerce platform as your company grows
- How to build a strong communication system in your organization
Connect with Jayant Chaudhary:
Email: jc@eproxim.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jchaudhary
Website: https://eproxim.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On this episode, Mark Kerzner and I talk about his current work in artificial intelligence.
Mark is an expert in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cybersecurity.
He is a co-founder of Elephant Scale - a training and consulting company for Big Data, AI, and Machine Learning.
Mark is also a co-founder of Scaia AI.
“Technology changes, but people and relationships often stay the same.” – Mark Kerzner
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
What is scalable artificial intelligence
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How can tech companies best use artificial intelligence
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Determining meanings within documents using AI
-
Artificial intelligence tips for small companies
Connect with Mark Kerzner:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markkerzner/
Website: https://elephantscale.com
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On this episode, I have a great conversation with Josh Millet.
Josh the founder and CEO of Criteria, which is a pre-employment assessment company with a simple goal: to help organizations make better hires.
Josh founded Criteria in 2006 with a vision to create a pre-employment testing service that would make the highest quality employee assessment tools accessible to companies of all sizes. He has raised a total of $64 million in funding since inception and acquired two companies in the last couple of years.
Josh’s experience combines leading-edge data science with rigorous validation to provide precise assessments. Since launching the company in 2006, Criteria has administered more than 25 million assessments.
“Resumes can be problematic from a science-based lens.” – Josh Millet
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Tips for finding top employees for a tech company
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How can companies hire the “right people”?
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Keeping employees from leaving your organization
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Tips for growing a tech company
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Using adaptive assessments for improved efficiency
Connect with Josh Millet:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-millet-23ba192
Website: https://criteriacorp.com
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On this episode, I have a wonderful conversation with Sonci Perez.
Sonci has founded multiple tech companies and is currently working to help companies change their interaction with customers through fast technology that delivers exceptional experiences. She is a Co-Founder of Quala.io, which is a frontline intelligence platform for B2B SaaS companies that helps them better serve and retain customers.
Before Quala, she co-founded Promoboxx, a marketing technology startup that connected brands with independent retailers to increase awareness of where to buy goods locally. She also serves as a Mentor with Techstars Boston, which helps grow startups.
Sonci enjoys providing customer success leaders and innovators in SaaS businesses with fresh perspectives on how to improve customer health, gain retention, and create expansion to upgrade their company.
“Customer success teams are often responsible for generating 60-70% of a company’s revenue.” – Sonci Perez
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
The importance of customer success technology
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Scaling your business by finding the intersection of technology and humans
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How to monitor customer relationship health
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Developing business intelligence from customer success data
Resources Mentioned:
Books:
One to Ten by Rags Gupta
Untamed by Glennon Doyle
Connect with Sonci Perez:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonciary/
Website: https://Quala.io
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
In this solo episode, I talk about the importance of performing an assessment of your systems for identifying and protecting the most valuable inventions created in your organization.
I discuss a 5-step approach to assess your current systems and procedures. I also talk about how to develop a plan to improve those systems and procedures over the next 12 months.
Listen to this episode so you understand how to perform an invention assessment in your business.
“I recommend performing an invention assessment at least once a year.” – Steve Sponseller
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
How to evaluate your current systems for identifying inventions
-
Criteria for evaluating the value of an invention to your company
-
Identifying critical patent filing deadlines
-
Developing a 12-month plan to identify and protect your most valuable inventions
Questions?
If you want my help with an Invention Assessment or have any questions about identifying and protecting your critical inventions, contact me to schedule a Free Introductory Call.
Contact me via email: Steve@SteveSponseller.com
Or visit my website: https://www.SteveSponseller.com
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of my latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover my proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On this episode, Ginny Foster and I discuss robotics, industrial automation, and safety issues related to robots.
Ginny is an Electrical Engineer who helps people scale manufacturing operations with robotics.
She serves as Market Development Manager at Neff Power, an industrial automation distributor and robotics partner with locations across the United States.
Ginny has a degree in Electrical Engineering from Saint Louis University and a degree in Spanish from Washington University in Saint Louis. She is a certified Project Management Professional, and is passionate about developing relationships and solving problems.
“Robots do not replace people. Robots replace tasks.” – Ginny Foster
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
How companies can start implementing robotic systems
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Will robots replace people
-
The four Ds of robotics (tasks that are best for robots)
-
The future of robotics and artificial intelligence
Resources Mentioned:
Book: Mindset by Carol Dweck
YouTube Videos: https://www.youtube.com/c/Neffpowermissouri
Connect with Ginny Foster:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginny-foster-0047a09/
Website: https://www.neffpower.com/
**Thanks for listening!**
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On this episode, I have a wonderful conversation with Lisa Duerre.
Lisa is a former Silicon Valley executive on a mission: She ignites leaders in the tech world to get fantastic results, build high-performing teams, and be present for the moments that matter without burning out.
Lisa has worked in various roles, such as a CEO, Executive Coach, Speaker, Facilitator, Leadership Advisor, Podcast Host, and Author. She has helped over 25,000 employees get faster results at work, make a bigger impact, and be better business leaders. Lisa is passionate about showing leaders the way to lead with their head and their heart.
“Burnout is a billion dollar problem in the United States.” – Lisa Duerre
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
Why great leaders align their head and heart
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How to avoid burnout
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Tips for rebooting to reduce stress and increase productivity
-
How to attract and retain employees
Resources Mentioned:
Book: Conversations Worth Having by Jackie Stavros and Cheri Torres
Podcast: Ctrl Alt Del with Lisa Duerre Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ctrl-alt-delete-with-lisa-duerre-for-leaders-in-tech/id1532782441
Connect with Lisa Duerre:
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/lisaduerre
Website: https://RLDGroupLLC.com
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On this episode, I have a great conversation with Chris Hood.
Chris is a Strategist, a thought leader, and an author with 35 years of experience in business development and digital transformation.
He currently works at Google as the Head of Business Innovation & Strategy. Chris also teaches at Colorado Technical University and Southern New Hampshire University.
His background includes a wide range of industries with significant work in media and entertainment at companies including Fox, Disney, Universal, and Electronic Arts.
Chris is also the host of “That Digital Show” Podcast.
“Innovative ideas can come from anyone in your organization.” – Chris Hood
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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How do you keep innovation alive in a large organization like Google
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The three key components of innovation (technology, data, and people)
-
Tips for building a culture of innovation in your company
-
The relationship between digital transformation and innovation
Connect with Chris Hood:
Website: https://chrishood.com
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
In this solo episode, I talk about the importance of identifying all inventions created throughout your organization. Identifying every invention created by your team is more complicated than simply asking, “What have you invented lately?”
Invention identification is critical because you can’t protect an invention if you don’t first identify it.
Listen to this episode so you understand how to identify every invention created by your team.
“Solutions to difficult problems are a great place to look for inventions.” – Steve Sponseller
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Why many people fail to identify inventions
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The importance (and value) of incremental inventions
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Discovering hidden inventions with Invention Mining
-
A simple approach for capturing invention details
-
Be proactive and make inventing fun
Questions?
If you have any questions about identifying your critical inventions, contact me to schedule a Free Introductory Call so an important invention doesn’t fall through the cracks.
Contact me via email: Steve@SteveSponseller.com
Or visit my website: https://www.SteveSponseller.com
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of my latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover my proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On this episode, I have a wonderful conversation with Andrew Butt.
Andrew has launched and grown several technology companies. He has also served on the Board of Directors for multiple companies.
Andrew it the co-founder and CEO of Enable, which is a cloud-based B2B (Business to Business) software tool for rebate management. Enable’s software tool is used by distributors, wholesalers, and manufacturers across over 50 industries.
“Cloud-based opportunities are bigger than ever.” – Andrew Butt
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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Key lessons learned from launching several tech companies
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Tips for growing a venture-backed company
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Critical trends that are impacting technology companies
-
Why Focus is so important for tech company leaders
Resources Mentioned:
Book: The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni
Book: The Advantage by Patrick Lencioni
Connect with Andrew Butt:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/awbutt/
Website: https://www.enable.com
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
In this solo episode, I talk about patent filing deadlines that are important to tech companies and inventors.
There are three important activities that automatically trigger a 12-month deadline in the United States for filing a patent application to protect your invention. In most situations, if you miss this deadline, you forfeit the ability to protect the invention. This often means your competitors can freely use that invention in their products because you can’t protect it with a patent.
Unfortunately, many business leaders are unaware of this deadline and inadvertently lose patent rights to their inventions.
Too often, I’ve had to tell company leaders, “It’s too late to protect your invention.”
Listen to this episode so you understand the deadlines and make an informed business decision before forfeiting your patent rights.
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
The three activities that trigger a 12-month patent filing deadline:
-
Public disclosure of the invention
-
Sale of a product that contains the invention
-
An offer to sell a product that contains the invention
Solution:
-
Identify all of the three triggering activities.
-
If the invention is valuable to your business, file a patent application BEFORE the 12 month deadline.
Questions?
If you have any questions about these deadlines, contact me to schedule a Free Introductory Call so you don’t forfeit any critical patent rights.
Contact me via email: Steve@SteveSponseller.com
Or visit my website: https://www.SteveSponseller.com
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of my latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover my proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On this episode, I have a wonderful conversation with Arthur Root.
Arthur is the founder of Nostra AI, an Artificial Intelligence marketing company that is utilized by a wide range of companies, from publicly traded companies to small businesses. Nostra has developed an easy-to-use content optimization system that uses AI to efficiently optimize web pages.
Arthur is knowledgeable about AI, marketing, raising VC financing, and entrepreneurship.
“AI can do what’s impossible for humans.” – Arthur Root
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
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The current best practices for web site design
-
How AI is impacting web site design today
-
What does your website need before you consider using AI
-
Managing your website based on consumer sentiment
Resources Mentioned:
Book: Code Breakers by Walter Isaacson
Connect with Arthur Root:
Email: arthurroot@nostra.ai
Website: https://www.nostra.ai/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On this episode, I have the pleasure of talking with Anu Shukla.
Anu is a serial entrepreneur with more than 25 years of high-tech industry experience. She is an active angel investor personally supporting and investing in women and minority led enterprises.
Anu has founded and exited several software companies: ranging from a Fintech loyalty currency company to Adtech and marketing automation companies. She has successfully exited two startups with $600M in enterprise value.
In her current role, Anu is a Co-founder and Executive Chair of Botco.ai, an emerging player in the application of AI/NLP to enterprise marketing automation.
And, she is named as an inventor on four patents based on her work in the technology industry.
“You want to turn your website into a conversation.” – Anu Shukla
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
The best way to start integrating chatbots into your business
-
Current marketing automation breakthroughs using AI and other technologies
-
Marketing trends that use AI to stay nimble and campaign-driven
-
The art and data science of marketing
Resources Mentioned:
Get a free copy of Anu’s Book: 25 Best Practices to Turn Your Website Into a Conversation
Connect with Anu Shukla:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anushukla/
Website: https://www.botco.ai/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On this episode, I talk with Sam Fry and Richard Adams.
Sam works at the intersection of innovation, technology, and art. He works for a technology company during the day and speaks to artists about technology at night.
Richard describes himself as an artist, musician, educator, and emerging tech architect.
Sam and Richard host a podcast called TECHnique where they where talk to artists about how they are working with technology.
In their Design Thinking series on the TECHnique podcast, Sam and Richard talk with several expert practitioners about Design Thinking.
“Technology has always been a part of art.” – Richard Adams
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
What Sam and Richard learned from interviews with Design Thinking experts
-
Learning from the intersection of Art and Technology
-
Advantages to failing fast and failing often
-
Using Design Thinking techniques to solve problems
-
The human element of Design Thinking
Resources Mentioned:
UK Design Council’s Double Diamond framework: https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/news-opinion/what-framework-innovation-design-councils-evolved-double-diamond
Connect with Sam Fry and Richard Adams:
LinkedIn (Sam Fry): https://www.linkedin.com/in/samueljfry/
LinkedIn (Richard Adams): https://www.linkedin.com/in/dickyadams/
TECHnique podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/technique/id1123475818
Twitter (Sam Fry): @SamuelJFry
Twitter (Richard Adams): @DickyAdams
Twitter (Technique Podcast): @TechniqueUK
**Thanks for listening!**
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On today’s podcast episode, I’m talking with Mike Geller, who is the Chief Technology Officer at Tegrita, a marketing technology consulting firm. He is also a co-author of the book “CMO to CRO – The revenue takeover by the next generation executive.” This book describes how an organizational restructure, combined with effective technology, can exponentially increase a company’s revenue.
Mike attended Ryerson University in Toronto and has 15 years of experience with marketing technology. Mike describes himself as a coffee snob, a Trekkie, a husband, and a proud dad to two beautiful children.
“Don’t buy technology that is oversized for your business. ” – Mike Geller
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
How to find the best technology for marketing your business
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Why “adding more technology” won’t fix marketing problems
-
Current marketing automation trends
-
What you should do first to boost your marketing effectiveness
-
Questions to ask when looking at new technology tools
Resources Mentioned:
Book: CMO to CRO- The revenue takeover by the next generation executive
Connect with Mike Geller:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikegeller/
Tegrita Website: https://tegrita.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Listen in as Paul Ruppert and I talk about how he has scaled tech companies to $1 Billion and lessons he’s learned from helping generate $400 Million in B2B enterprise sales. Paul also shares his experience with improving customer engagement.
Paul is the CEO of Global Point View and provides strategic advice to tech companies on high-stakes sales and cross-border negotiation. Paul is a Harvard graduate and is named as an inventor on two U.S. patents.
Paul worked for 12 years as a Federal Trade Lobbyist, serving Congress and multiple White House administrations. He also has 20 years of experience with CpaaS (Communication Platform as a Service), messaging, and customer engagement.
“Almost all things are globally scalable.” – Paul Ruppert
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
The importance of network capability in scaling your business
-
Understanding your value proposition for business growth
-
How to select your initial customers
-
Building out your architecture for expanding your business
-
Customer engagement techniques that are working today
Resources Mentioned:
Book: Blitzscaling by Reid Hoffman
Connect with Paul Ruppert:
Paul’s Website: http://globalpointview.com/
Email: pruppert@gpvltd.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulruppertintl/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On this episode, Jeff Kushmerek and I talk about software startups and building customer success teams.
Jeff has more than 20 years of experience with software startups. He started working as a developer in the 90’s, and has been part of teams at Endeca (purchased by Oracle), Brightcove, and Virgin.
While at Brightcove, Jeff started to notice the change from on-premise software to SaaS (Software as a Service), and how that was affecting customer onboarding and implementation. Then, when he was at Virgin, he noticed the need for more specialization on customer success teams.
For the last 10 years, Jeff has been working with companies to make the continuous improvements to Customer Success and Professional Services teams that are needed. Jeff understands that many factors have an impact on the important first steps that create customer satisfaction and customer retention.
Along the way, Jeff has coded, managed products, created teams, fixed teams, and rolls up his sleeves to help wherever needed.
“Customer success starts before the sale.” – Jeff Kushmerek
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
Why should the customer support team get involved before a deal is closed
-
The importance of having a dedicated support team
-
New software tools that help with customer success operations
Resources Mentioned:
Book: Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss
Connect with Jeff Kushmerek:
Jeff’s Website: www.jeffkushmerek.com
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book/ .
In this episode, Marco Silva and I have a great discussion about artificial intelligence and cloud technologies.
Marco lives in Portugal and is a Cloud Solution Architect for Microsoft with many years of experience. As a Cloud Solution Architect, he challenges customers with new ideas and new ways to use cloud technologies.
Marco has experience in Computer Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, and Computer Graphics. He is part of the AI Ambassador team at Microsoft, which means he empowers people to leverage AI and create new uses of AI.
Marco is also a professional speaker and teaches courses on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning at ISEG in Lisbon, Portugal.
“Simulated environments are necessary for learning anywhere.” – Marco Silva
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
Why every business needs AI
-
New business models that didn’t exist until a year or two ago
-
Digital transformation includes looking at AI for your business
-
A new pricing model for Rolls-Royce airplane engines that optimizes AI
-
What you must have to effectively use Machine Learning in your company
Resources Mentioned:
Microsoft Mesh – A collaboration and communications platform developed by Microsoft.
Connect with Marco Silva:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marconsilva/
**Thanks for listening!**
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
In this episode, I have a fun discussion with Shane Neely, who is a former laboratory scientist turned programmer. He has helped to author 11 scientific papers and build a cancer treatment software company.
Today, Shane uses machine learning and artificial intelligence for everything from bioinformatics to art. He is particularly interested in AI for language generation, digital art, and other computational creativity.
Shane is the author of the book Stone Age Code: From Monkey Business to AI. His book explores artificial intelligence and human evolution from his perspective as a data scientist and biologist.
In his free time, Shane enjoys adventures around the Pacific Northwest with his family.
“Using AI writing tools can eliminate writer’s block.” – Shane Neeley
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
Similarities between human evolution and the evolution of artificial intelligence
-
How Shane used AI to help write and design his book
-
From using stone tools to “modern” tools like AI
-
Training neural networks to copy your writing style
Resources Mentioned:
Shane’s Book: Stone Age Code: From Monkey Business to AI
Connect with Shane Neeley:
Website: ShaneNeeley.com
LinkedIn: LinkedIn.com/in/neeley1
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Eric is a best selling author, speaker, and pragmatic futurist.
Eric is focused on addressing disruption by increasing the creative capacity of individuals, teams, and organizations to ignite change, innovation, and foster continuous growth. Eric has an undergraduate degree in engineering, an MBA in Information Systems, and a Ph.D. in Global Leadership. His doctoral work primarily explored complexity sciences centered on executive cognition and their use of intuitive improvisation, decision-making, artificial intelligence, and data-based decision models.
Eric’s recent book, Surfing Rogue Waves released in May. His love of being active and outdoors led him to use the parallels between life and surfing as a metaphor for how we can deal with the changes happening around us.
“If we don’t ‘ride’ the 4th Industrial Revolution, we will be left behind.” – Eric Pilon-Bignell
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
What is the 4th Industrial Revolution and how is it changing the world
-
How surfing is related to the 4th Industrial Revolution
-
Why disruption is the new normal
-
Technology advancements are happening exponentially faster and converging with each other
Resources Mentioned:
Eric’s Book: Surfing Rogue Waves
Connect with Eric Pilon-Bignell:
Website: http://ericpb.me
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericpilonbignell/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Shannon is a Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Catalyst Constellations. She has over twenty years of experience working with startups, launching her own ventures, and driving innovation in the world’s largest companies. She is a passionate thought leader about creating sustainable organizations in every sense of the word: for people, planet, and profit.
Shannon is a best-selling author of Move Fast, Break Shit, Burn Out; The Catalyst’s Guide to Working Well.
In her previous roles, as EVP of Emerging Business at Ericsson, Senior Innovation Architect at Cisco’s Hyperinnovation Living Lab, and Director of Innovation at Vodafone Global Enterprise, Shannon empowered Fortune 500 businesses to stay agile, competitive, and sustainable through the adoption of new technologies and organizational structures.
“Catalysts are super dot connectors and move into action quickly.” – Shannon Lucas
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
Why innovation is dependent on company culture
-
How to identify Catalysts in your organization
-
Techniques for encouraging Catalysts to use their skills to benefit the company
-
How to reduce stress and burnout in your team members
Resources Mentioned:
Move Fast. Break Shit. Burn Out. by Shannon Lucas: https://www.amazon.com/Move-Fast-Break-Shit-Burn-ebook/dp/B08JNWBQ9Y
Undisruptable by Aidan McCullen: https://www.amazon.com/Undisruptable-Permanent-Reinvention-Individuals-Organisations-ebook/dp/B08YPHN6RK
Essentials for Catalysts Course: https://catalystconstellations.com/essentials-for-catalysts
Connect with Shannon Lucas:
Website: https://catalystconstellations.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonglucas/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On this episode of Tech Leader Talk, Steve Shwartz have an interesting discussion about artificial intelligence, robots, and self-driving cars.
Steve is the author of "Evil Robots, Killer Computers, and Other Myths: The Truth About AI and the Future of Humanity” which was published in February by Fast Company Press.
Steve began his Artificial Intelligence career as a postdoctoral researcher in the Yale University Computer Science Dept. During his career, he has been a founder or co-founder of many companies.
Steve has also helped fund many startups as an investor including Tangoe, which was the 6th-best IPO of 2011.
“We don’t need to worry about AI systems exterminating humans or turning us into pets.” – Steve Shwartz
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
Why we shouldn’t be worried about robots and AI systems taking over the world
-
How self-driving vehicles will affect society
-
Government regulation of artificial intelligence
-
Which jobs may be replaced with AI systems
Resources Mentioned:
Book: Evil Robots, Killer Computers, and Other Myths
Free eBook: Artificial Intelligence 101
Steve’s AI Blog: https://www.aiperspectives.com/blog/
Connect with Steve Shwartz:
Website: https://www.aiperspectives.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steveshwartz/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On this episode, I have a fun discussion with Scott Christianson.
Scott is an Associate Teaching Professor of management at the Trulaske College of Business at the University of Missouri. Scott’s interests are focused on the impact of emerging technology on society and human well-being.
Prior to joining the college, he was a business owner with decades of experience in videoconferencing technology, project management, and information technology.
“This is a great time to learn on your own.” – Scott Christianson
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
How to start using open source hardware in your business
-
A student’s project that used open source hardware to prototype a “calving collar” for cows
-
What Scott enjoys most about working in the academic world
-
New platforms for flexible learning (remote, in-person, and hybrid)
Resources Mentioned:
Arist (training platform): https://arist.co/
Scott’s Newsletter: https://frtech.substack.com/welcome
Instructables: https://www.instructables.com/
Arduino: https://www.arduino.cc/
Raspberrypi: https://www.raspberrypi.org/
Adafruit: https://www.adafruit.com/
SparkFun: https://www.sparkfun.com/
Connect with Scott:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jscottchristianson/
Website: https://www.christiansonjs.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On this episode, I have a valuable conversation with Kate DiLeo about her Brand Strategy Process for technology companies.
Kate believes that a brand is the path of least resistance to revenue and she’s passionate about helping organizations create common ground with their customers.
She has worked with over 200 companies across 20 sectors, helping them create authentic brands that attract more customers.
“Your brand is the path of least resistance to revenue.” – Kate DiLeo
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
How Kate’s Brand Strategy Process is different from other approaches
-
Learn a process that quickly helps companies articulate who they are, why they’re different, and how to solve their customer’s problems
-
How a brand can help technology companies (especially startups and small tech companies)
-
When you should start thinking about a brand strategy
Connect with Kate:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katedileo/
Website: https://ennobble.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Now it’s time for something completely different…
On today’s episode, I am being interviewed about my latest book, Cracking the Patent Code. My friend Mike Wolpert is leading the interview as we discuss the book and details of my 3-step system that identifies and protects a tech company’s most valuable inventions.
During the interview, I share my experience as a patent attorney working with hundreds of technology companies and more than 1000 inventors.
“You must protect your inventions just like you protect other critical business assets.” – Steve Sponseller
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
Why I wrote the book Cracking the Patent Code
-
Details regarding my 3-step system to identify and protect your most valuable inventions
-
The most common mistake tech companies make regarding their inventions
-
My solution to avoid this mistake
-
Important benefits of following my 3-step system
Mentioned Resources:
Cracking the Patent Code book
Connect with Steve:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevesponseller/
Website: https://stevesponseller.com
Thanks for listening!
You can get a free PDF copy of my latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover my proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On this episode, I have a fun discussion with Vaclav Vincalek.
Vaclav is a technology entrepreneur, CTO, and technology advisor for startups and enterprises.
Vaclav helps companies strategize, innovate, and grow.
His current focus is determining how to best deploy machine learning to support business objectives. He is also exploring how visionary, forward-thinking companies can use quantum computing.
Vaclav frequently speaks at technology industry conferences and contributes commentary for technology reporters.
“Our goal should be to create technology that offloads mundane tasks from humans.” – Vaclav Vincalek
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
-
How humans and artificial intelligence can compliment one another
-
Identifying the best tasks for machines to handle
-
How to leverage artificial intelligence in your business
Connect with Vaclav:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincalek/
Website: https://555vCTO.com
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On today’s podcast episode, I have a wonderful discussion with Toni Collis.
Toni is a keynote speaker, host of the Leading Women in Tech Podcast, career strategist, and leadership coach for Women in Tech. Having worked in the technology industry and making her way to the C-Suite, she has seen the impact that women can have on tech, on corporate culture, and inclusion.
Toni is on a mission to help women in tech thrive. Because when women in tech thrive, everyone benefits.
Toni’s goal is to help 2000 women move into the technology c-suite by 2024.
“I got to the c-suite because I was annoyed by the lack of women.” – Toni Collis
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
- Ways that technology companies benefit from having more women working in technical roles
- What is the “diversity dividend”
- How the pandemic has changed the roles of women in tech companies
- Toni explains why women need to think strategically to grow their career
Mentioned Resources:
- Leading Women in Tech Podcast
Connect with Toni:
- Website: https://tonicollis.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonicollis/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
On today’s episode, I’m talking Ali Davachi, who is a serial entrepreneur with 25 years of experience working with Fortune 500 organizations in healthcare, consumer products, and financial services. He helps businesses develop innovative solutions that save money and support new business opportunities.
Ali is a Digital Transformation expert and shows companies how to stay focused on business outcomes.
Ali shares his story of going from medical school to the world of technology.
“Digital transformation means meeting companies and clients where they are.” – Ali Davachi
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
- How companies can stay focused on business outcomes
- Why Digital Transformation is so important today
- Ali’s approach to helping entrepreneurs and small companies that are just getting started
- A process for incremental testing, measurement, and adjustment
Mentioned Resources:
- Realware
Connect with Ravi:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alidavachi/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/adavachi
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Mentoring has been around for centuries and today’s guest, Ravi Gundlapalli, is using technology to bring mentoring to 100 million people around the world.
Ravi is the founder and CEO of MentorCloud, a purpose-driven technology company that’s making human wisdom accessible to every person on the planet.
He is also the author of the book “The Art of Mentoring.”
Ravi has worked in many industries, including the automotive industry, the semiconductor industry, and the aviation industry. A common thread throughout Ravi’s career has been mentoring people.
On this episode, we discuss Ravi’s plans to make Mentoring a world-wide activity.
“One conversation can change your destiny.” – Ravi Gundlapalli
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
- How Ravi’s passion for mentoring developed during his life
- What does “Supply Chain of Wisdom” mean?
- How an airplane near-miss experience changed Ravi’s journey
- Systems that support the exchange of wisdom
- The business advantages of implementing a mentoring program
Mentioned Resources:
- MentorCloud
- Book: The Art of Mentoring
Connect with Ravi:
- Website: http://ravigundlapalli.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ravishankargundlapalli/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Roy Nallapeta is a Co-founder and CEO at Glance Inc. Roy is an engineer, turned into a marketer, who loves creativity and creating copy for marketing.
Glance Inc. has created a no-code Artificial Intelligence marketing SaaS product (Software as a Service). This product helps marketers increase their return on investment, decrease acquisition costs, and improve productivity. He previously founded AdNuance, a digital marketing company, and bootstrapped the business for eight years.
Being immersed in the problems related to traditional marketing techniques drove Roy to create Glance Inc.
In this episode, Roy and I discuss the new marketing insights being generated based on cloud-based data and artificial intelligence. We also talk about new tools that will improve marketing insights and results for many companies.
“Marketing can be better if we leverage data technologies.” – Roy Nallapeta
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
- How the cloud is providing new marketing insights
- Advantages of using a Marketing Graph to optimize your advertising
- Discover why Artificial Intelligence is a game-changer for marketing
- Changes that are happening to the traditional advertising funnel
Connect with Roy:
- Website: https://www.glancehq.ai
- Email: Roy@glancehq.ai
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohitnallapeta
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohynal
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Do you want to be a Remarkable Leader?
That’s what Kevin Eikenberry is discussing on this episode of the podcast. Kevin is the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group and the Co-Founder of the Remote Leadership Institute. He has spent 30 years helping organizations and leaders from over 40 countries become more effective. Inc.com has twice named him as one of the top 100 Leadership and Management Experts in the World.
Kevin has written several books on leadership, including his latest book The Long-Distance Teammate.
Today we will be talking about how leaders and other team members need to adapt to the new working environments caused by the remote working world. Kevin manages his own team of remote workers and shares tips for thriving in remote and hybrid work environments.
“We are at a moment that matters for all organizations.” – Kevin Eikenberry
Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast:
- Three things that kept Kevin’s business going through the pandemic
- How to Lead for Commitment (instead of compliance)
- Discover how to decide whether to 1) stay remote, 2) bring everyone back to the office, or 3) a hybrid
- Thoughts on how the pandemic has accelerated remote work by a decade
- How to replicate creative “water cooler conversations” in a remote working situation
- Three things that help business leader handle unpredictable events
Mentioned Resources:
- The Long Distance Teammate
- Remote Leadership Institute
Connect with Kevin:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevineikenberry/
- Website: https://www.kevineikenberry.com/
Thanks for listening!
Be sure to get your free copy of Steve’s latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.
Intro
Join me as I interview Joshua Walker who has quite the inspirational story to share which he also shares in detail in his new book Venti Fried Chicken. Josh used to work in the military and was essentially homeless at one point but is now thriving in the tech world. His story is also inspirational because even though he is a Cloud engineer, he has also been involved in leadership groups in Orlando and is currently Vice President of one such group that is aiming to get 10,000 minorities into the world of technology by 2025, so he doesn't just stay in a cubicle for sixteen hours a day. He is active in his community working to make a real difference!
Josh was actually already working remotely prior to the COVID-19 pandemic but is now, like many of us, working strictly remotely, and he discusses what that has been like and how remote work is going to continue to change the world, especially the tech world. He also provides some advice on how to make remote work especially effective in today's age, and he offers his opinion regarding what makes people in the tech industry successful, saying that it's important to have empathy for yourself because the world of technology is a world that requires skill. He also, however, lives by the open mindset that anyone can become involved in the world of technology because there are so many different aspects of it which is how he goes about getting people involved in the technology sector – appealing to their individualized interests.
He also shares what he thinks makes technology leaders effective leaders, such as the ability to set an example. He advises that you shouldn't ask people to do things that you wouldn't do yourself, and he reiterates the importance of having empathy - empathy for people who work under you. Josh discusses his book Venti Fried Chicken and shares how long it took to develop, so be sure to check that out as well as his website, and remember to subscribe to Tech Leader Talk so that you never miss an episode!
Time Stamps
[0:07] – Steve introduces this episode's guest, Josh Walker, and provides us with a little bit of background information about the guest.
[0:47] – Josh provides us with further information about his background, such as how he taught himself to be a cloud engineer.
[3:35] – Josh makes predictions about what trends are likely to impact the world of technology over the next couple of years, such as companies having to get used to distributed teams.
[5:15] – Josh asserts what he believes makes for success in the tech world, such as having empathy for yourself.
[6:56] – Josh describes his process of helping people get into the tech world, such as how he appeals to people's interests.
[9:30] – Josh shares his concerns about where technology is headed in the future – such as how he believes that education around technology needs to change.
[10:46] – We discover what Josh is most optimistic about in relation to where technology is headed in the future – such as how the pandemic has made cloud-based computing accessible to more people.
[12:12] – Josh lists traits that he feels make for an effective leader, such as having empathy for people who work under you.
[14:22] – Josh discusses his new book, Venti Fried Chicken, revealing that it's a memoir of how he went from essentially being homeless to being a success in the world of technology.
[16:10] – Josh recommends the book Atomic Habits and describes its overall content.
[17:13] – We learn how Josh gets new people in the technology sector started.
[18:34] – Josh offers some tips on how to make remote work effective during our current times.
[19:57] – Josh shares what his plans are for the future, such as how he wants to intensify his current mission and spread his message and his mission to more people.
[21:46] – We learn where online we can go to learn more about Josh.
Links and Resources
Joshua Walker – Venti Fried Chicken
James Clear – Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
Venti Fried Chicken - Website
Steve Sponseller - Website
Steve Sponseller – Cracking the Patent Code
I first became familiar with my guest today when I heard her on another podcast a couple of years ago and her message resonated with me. Farnoosh Brock takes a unique approach to selling in her book The Serving Mindset: Stop Selling and Grow Your Business. Farnoosh went from being an electrical engineer and leader at a fortune 100 company to being a coach, speaker, author, and trainer. She believes in the power of changing our conversations from selling to serving.
Farnoosh noticed over time as an electrical engineer that even though she was good at her job, she didn't get much enjoyment or fulfillment out of her position. She realized that she wanted to work with people and build relationships, and she also realized that she didn't want to work for anyone and instead wanted to be an entrepreneur.
She shares how her serving mindset developed and how she now believes that you do not need to sell to push an agenda, that you can set selling aside to build truly meaningful relationships with clients, relationships that will build your reputation and result in repeat clients. She suggests that even though the traditional selling mindset works, serving rather than selling actually leads to way more profit and also that it's important to only do business with people who are a fit for you and you for them.
Stressing how important that it is to adopt the serving mindset over the selling mindset, especially now as we are hopefully soon coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, Farnoosh advises leaders to not just be leaders in title but also in action and to value people, whether they be clients or people who work for us. Please reach out to Farnoosh via the various methods that she provides, and remember to subscribe to Tech Leader Talk so that you never miss an episode!
Time Stamps
[0:07] – Steve introduces this episode's guest – Farnoosh Brock.
[2:01] – Farnoosh provides us with some background information about herself, such as how she started as an electrical engineer.
[4:52] – Farnoosh explains how she moved through many different roles before realizing that she wasn't being challenged and therefore decided to work for herself.
[6:57] – Steve and Farnoosh discuss the misconception that when you switch to a different department after working in engineering, you lose the engineering knowledge.
[9:00] – Farnoosh explains what she means by serving rather than selling.
[12:02] – Farnoosh explains why having a serving mindset rather than a selling mindset is a competitive advantage.
[13:50] – Farnoosh advises us on what to do if a traditional selling mindset seems to be working for us.
[16:23] – Steve and Farnoosh discuss how a serving mindset means building more meaningful relationships.
[19:10] – Farnoosh suggests how an introverted person might go about fostering a serving mindset.
[21:35] – Farnoosh lists potential outcomes of companies adopting a serving mindset over a selling mindset, such as noticing and observing a more positive response from prospective clients.
[24:41] – Steve and Farnoosh discuss how the serving mindset will help businesses coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic such as the importance of acting as leaders.
[28:08] – Farnoosh announces some current projects, such as remote corporate training.
[29:29] – We learn how we can reach Farnoosh online.
Links and Resources
Farnoosh Brock – The Serving Mindset: Stop Selling and Grow Your Business
Farnoosh's Website
Prolific Living - Website
Farnoosh's LinkedIn Profile
Steve Sponseller - Website
Steve Sponseller – Cracking the Patent Code
Join me as I talk to Lomit Patel (author of the book Lean AI: How Innovative Startups Use Artificial Intelligence to Grow, startup advisor, public speaker, and Vice President of Growth at IMVU) in this episode of the Tech Leader Talk podcast as he discusses how he got involved in the world of technology and came to work with IMVU. Lomit discusses how he was fascinated with the opportunity to work on products and services that had the potential to have huge impacts on how people live across the world. This positive outlook on technology has, in fact, stayed with Lomit for a long while, as he predicts that, with it always changing, technology is going to continue to be a means to solve problems and find better solutions to problems. The effort to have put forth a COVID-19 vaccine, as he points out, is a perfect example of this.
Lomit discusses the rise of artificial intelligence and its impacts on humanity, reveals what motivated and inspired him to write his new book Lean AI, and also makes predictions about what trends will likely impact artificial intelligence and technology over the next several years, declaring for example that people will rely more heavily on things being digital, especially as a result of the current COVID-19 pandemic playing a role. Noting that only 5% of startup companies see success, he offers some tips and advice, suggesting using money as efficiently as possible so that you don't run out, being focused on one or two channels rather than diversifying, and changing up how revenue is generated.
Please reach out to Lomit via the various methods that he suggests, and remember to subscribe to Tech Leader Talk so that you never miss an episode!
Time Stamps
[0:07] – Steve introduces this episode's guest - Lomit Patel, Vice President of Growth at IMVU – and gives some of his background information.
[1:27] – Lomit further explains his background and how he got to where he is today at IMVU.
[4:27] – Lomit predicts what trends will impact artificial intelligence and technology in general over the next several years, such as artificial intelligence being more fully embraced.
[7:39] – Steve and Lomit discuss the data that companies get from customers interacting with them.
[10:34] – Lomit comments on common lessons that he has learned throughout the various companies for which he has worked, stressing the importance of focusing on the customers and being data driven.
[12:50] – Lomit adds that it's also important, especially with startups, to attract smart people with experience.
[14:26] – Lomit predicts that technology will continue to enact positive change, providing the COVID-19 vaccine as an example.
[16:53] – Lomit further predicts that the future will see us living hybrid lives that will be part virtual.
[18:18] – Lomit talks about the positives and negatives of artificial intelligence.
[20:05] – We learn what motivated Lomit to write his book Lean AI.
[23:47] – Lomit shares two tips for startups, to focus on one or two channels rather than diversify and to vary how revenue is generated.
[26:14] – We discover what's ahead for Lomit and his team in the near future, such as COVID-19 leading to an increase in technology because of people being in shelter-in-place and looking to escape.
[28:07] – Lomit shares how we can connect with him online.
Links and Resources
Lomit Patel – Lean AI: How Innovative Startups Use Artificial Intelligence to Grow
Eric Ries – The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses
Lomit's LinkedIn Page
Lomit's Blog
Steve Sponseller - Website
Steve Sponseller – Cracking the Patent Code
Jerry Abiog of Standard Insights joins me in this episode as we discuss the need for digitization in the world of technology, especially now during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jerry helps develop artificial intelligence for companies, especially for restaurants, and he even helped develop digital menus driven by artificial intelligence for companies, which was temporarily shelved until the pandemic increased the need for it.
Jerry predicts that that need for digitization is not going away in the future and that it will, in fact, continue to rise, something that more and more companies need to recognize and act on if they want to stay in business. He stresses the importance of companies putting the customers first before all else and listening to what they have to say, be it positive or negative feedback. He also advises us that it's important for us to learn to be personally and professionally uncomfortable because that discomfort leads to growth.
Jerry also discusses his hopes and fears regarding the future and what his future plans are for Standard Insights, hoping to expand what they do for restaurants. Feel free to reach out to him via one of the several contact methods that he provides, and remember to subscribe to Tech Leader Talk so that you never miss an episode!
Time Stamps
[0:07] – Steve introduces this episode's guest, Jerry Abiog, and gives us some of his credentials.
[1:05] – Jerry further details his background, such as how he has twenty-five years of experience in sales and marketing.
[3:43] – Jerry predicts what kinds of impacts artificial intelligence is going to have over the next few years, talking about how COVID has called for more digitization.
[5:47] – Jerry stresses the importance of listening to your customers.
[7:30] – We learn that Jerry did some research in advance to get an idea of what would bring in customers.
[9:33] – Jerry discusses his fears regarding the future of technology, giving Blockbuster as an example of a company that came to an end because it didn't get on board with new technology.
[11:21] – Jerry makes predictions about what restaurants are going to have to do to stay afloat in the current COVID-19 pandemic, such as using contactless menus.
[13:36] – Jerry explains that concessions at ball games eventually won't accept cash as a form of payment and theorizes why that is.
[15:23] – We learn how Jerry comes up with innovating ideas that sets his company apart.
[16:25] – Jerry looks toward the future, hoping that people will use difficult times like this pandemic as opportunities to learn and grow.
[17:59] – Jerry reiterates the crucial importance of listening to customers and their feedback.
[20:23] – Jerry and Steve agree that getting a sale is just the first step because you want your customer to be happy so that they'll come back to you.
[21:15] – Jerry offers some tips, such as learning to be personally and professionally uncomfortable because that's when you grow.
[23:58] – Jerry shares how he and his company are looking to expand in the restaurant space.
[25:53] – We discover where online we can find and get in touch with Jerry.
Links and Resources
Standard Insights - Website
Jerry's LinkedIn Page
Malcolm Gladwell – The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
iorder.menu - Website
Jerry’s Email Address - jerry@standardinsights.io
Steve Sponseller - Website
Steve Sponseller – Cracking the Patent Code
If you are a business leader in need of learning technology jargon, then Tech Speak for Entrepreneurs might just be for you! Join me as I interview Nelly Yusupova, the founder of Tech Speak, in this episode of Tech Leader Talk as she shares how she got involved in the technology world, initially believing that computer science would merely teach her how to use Word and Excel more efficiently (which, of course, led to a big surprise in store for her).
She reflects on having become a C.T.O. at a very young age through Webgrrls International which gave her invaluable experience in sales and business development. Nelly also discusses how advanced technology has made a lot of things easier for this generation's entrepreneurs compared to her own experience back in the '90s, a trend that isn't going away any time soon. In fact, the mission behind Tech Speak for Entrepreneurs is to help business leaders become more technology literate because, as she predicts, every company will be a tech company within the next couple of years because technology, no matter what your company brands, is no longer going to be optional. Artificial intelligence, as she projects, will even become easier and easier for people to implement even if they don't have backgrounds in STEM.
Nelly also shares important advice with us aside from learning tech jargon – such as never taking more than three months to release your first idea due to the importance of customer feedback, learning early and often from what might otherwise be seen as failures, and how important that it is to be communicative. Communication, in fact, is, in her opinion, the most important trait for a tech leader to have.
Nelly even recommends a couple of books to us and shares how we can get in touch with her online. Be sure to check out her resources, and remember to subscribe to Tech Leader Talk so that you never miss an episode!
Time Stamps
[0:07] – Steve introduces this episode's guest, Nelly Yusupova, to the podcast.
[0:38] – Nelly details how she got involved in the world of technology, such as how she studied computer science and joined Webgrrls International.
[2:03] – Nelly explains how she came to hear troubling stories of entrepreneurs losing thousands of dollars because of technology mistakes and how that led to her creating Tech Speak for Entrepreneurs.
[3:03] - We learn about the benefits of taking advantage of Tech Speak's resources.
[4:59] – Nelly offers three real-world examples from her own experience of the types of companies that could benefit from Tech Speak – a yoga instructor, a realtor, and a social media consultant.
[7:34] – We are offered advice from Nelly regarding looking for opportunities – to look for and understand problems and to ensure that we understand how to manage developers efficiently so that we don't waste money.
[8:30] – Nelly stresses the importance of becoming technology literate which is what Tech Speak does for people.
[10:22] – Nelly argues that it's important to learn early and learn often, recommending Eric Ries' book The Lean Startup.
[11:50] – Steve and Nelly comment on how customer feedback comes into play.
[13:28] – Nelly clarifies that, via Tech Speak, she teaches people how to implement the speedy process that she advises, even people who are not fluent in technology jargon.
[15:47] – Nelly projects toward the future, predicting that artificial intelligence will be heavily incorporated into the world of technology over the next couple of years.
[19:01] – Nelly posits that effective communication is the most important skill for a technical leader to have.
[20:08] – Nelly provides tips to company leaders looking to grow or add software, reiterating the importance of becoming tech literate.
[22:17] – Nelly advises that something like Tech Speak would be a good starting point for someone looking to become more fluent in tech jargon.
[23:45] – Nelly credits the book Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products as the best book that she has read within the last year.
[24:48] – We discover what Nelly has planned for 2021, such as opening up global opportunities for Tech Speak due to having to go remote because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
[27:11] – Nelly suggests where to go online to get in touch with her.
Links and Resources
Eric Ries – The Lean Startup
CopyAI
Eyal Nir – Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products
Tech Speak for Entrepreneurs – Website
Digital Woman – Website
Nelly's Twitter Page
Nelly's Instagram Page
Steve Sponseller - Website
Steve Sponseller – Cracking the Patent Code
Aman Agarwal, founder and president of Sanpram Transnational (an executive education company), joins me in this episode of Tech Leader Talk to discuss how he got into the world of technology and kickstarted Sanpram. Aman, a former engineer and passionate teacher and writer, has a degree in engineering and started in sales, eventually moving his way up to bigger companies. Because of a troubling knowledge gap and cultural gap that he observed in the technology world, Aman started Sanpram Transnational, which seeks to close that gap by educating business leaders in technological matters.
Aman also shares with us what trends he thinks will have the biggest impacts on the technology world over the next couple of years, such as remote work resulting in more diversity in the workforce developing. In his opinion, business leaders in the technology world need to make sure that the need to work remotely is not detrimental to humanity, and they ought to focus on the pros of remote work and work on improving upon the cons.
Aman is also of the mindset that it is very important in his business to be confident in yourself and to also be realistic. He offers tips such as surrounding yourself with people who are willing to share their knowledge and expertise (people who have what he refers to as the “heart of a teacher”), having empathy, and putting business first and technology second. He reflects on his hopes for the future (such as good education being at a lower cost), and he even fills us in on his favorite book from the last year!
Be sure to check Sanpram out over at their website, and also be sure to subscribe to Tech Leader Talk so that you never miss an episode!
Time Stamps
[0:07] – Steve introduces this episode's guest, Aman Agarwal, and briefly explains his credentials and his background.
[1:02] – Aman provides us with more details about his background such as how he has a degree in engineering and started in sales.
[2:38] – We learn what Aman does today with Sanpram Transnational, also giving us the backstory of how he started with them.
[5:45] – Aman discusses what trends he expects will impact the world of technology over the next couple of years.
[7:07] – Aman explains what he thinks business leaders need to be considering with a more distributed workforce, such as maintaining high quality connection between people even when it's virtual.
[8:35] – Steve adds his own insight to the conversation, suggesting that we make the most of virtual communication.
[10:26] – Aman reflects upon what he believes makes a tech leader successful, namely high self-esteem.
[13:27] – Steve comments on the importance of knowing one's target audience.
[14:19] – Aman advises us on what we should do if we're looking to start learning the new approach to communication, starting with surrounding ourselves with people who want to share their knowledge.
[16:43] – Aman offers a second piece of advice – having what he calls tactical empathy.
[19:02] – Aman looks forward to the future of technology, reflecting, for example, on high quality education becoming more affordable.
[21:56] – Aman shares the most important lesson that he has learned – putting business before technology.
[23:51] – Aman enthusiastically credits Phil Knight's Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike as his favorite book from the last year.
[25:12] – We discover what's ahead for Aman and Sanpram in the near future, like how Aman is currently writing a book.
Links and Resources
Phil Knight – Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike
Sanpram Transnational – Website
Aman's LinkedIn Page
Steve Sponseller - Website
Steve Sponseller – Cracking the Patent Code
This is a special episode of Tech Leader Talk because this episode officially makes the podcast an international podcast! For the first time, I welcome a guest who lives overseas – Sean G. Muller of New Zealand! Sean, although originally from the United States, currently works what he identifies as his dream job for IBM in New Zealand.
Sean's background is in network engineering and network architecture and describes his experience entering the world of technology as having fallen into the role rather than having taken an academic path. Having taken a part-time job at Ericsson Telecommunications National Headquarters in Richardson, Texas (before, of course, moving to New Zealand where he is currently), technology sort of unexpectedly became his career.
Sean and I discuss everything from how 9/11 impacted a lot of people (including himself) in the technology industry by leaving them out of work, the importance of culture and effective leadership in a company, how the current COVID-19 pandemic has impacted technology and technology companies, how Sean expects the world of technology to change over the next couple of years and what he worries most about regarding the future of technology, and so much more.
He also shares with us the story of how he worked with the New Zealand police on a really exciting project named Ella. Ella is a digital human who was temporarily employed by the New Zealand police as an experiment to see how people would react to her, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Sean encourages us to search for Ella online to see what she looks like, and he also offers advice to newcomers to the world of technology, stressing the importance of factoring in ongoing and additional costs, not just how much you initially pay for a piece of hardware.
Be sure to visit Sean via his various social media profiles to say hello, and please do subscribe to Tech Leader Talk so that you never miss an episode!
Time Stamps
[0:07] – Steve introduces this episode's guest – Sean G. Muller – to the podcast.
[1:03] – We begin to learn how Sean got started in the world of technology and how he got to where he is now.
[2:36] – Sean reflects on the difficult time that he and many other people in the tech industry endured after 9/11 but how he eventually got back on his feet.
[4:44] – Sean refers to his current job working for IBM in New Zealand as his dream job.
[5:27] – Sean credits IBM for having challenged him to do more than he had ever done before.
[7:25] – Sean comments on commonalities between the past companies for which he had worked, citing good leadership as what led to success.
[9:43] – Sean discusses how there are multiple levels of leadership, resulting in ineffective leadership at the very top trickling down to lower levels.
[10:20] – Sean describes what makes a leader effective, summarizing them as personable.
[11:45] – Sean theorizes that the COVID-19 pandemic was likely much more difficult for micromanagers than it was for more personable leaders because of the need to work remotely.
[13:37] – Sean posits what trends will impact the world of technology over the next couple of years, such as how artificial intelligence will continue to accelerate.
[16:15] – Sean predicts that augmented reality and virtual reality are also going to continue to be on the rise and hopes that power grids will become more reliant on reusable energy.
[17:27] – Sean explains his worries about where technology is headed such as biased artificial intelligence slowly breaking down civil liberties.
[19:08] – Sean stresses the importance of technology production companies being mindful of what they are doing to ensure that technology is being used for good.
[20:09] – Sean offers a couple of pieces of advice for those of us who are just getting into the world of technology.
[22:52] – Sean shares with us what is in store for him and IBM in the foreseeable future.
[24:23] – Sean backtracks a bit and narrates his time working for the New Zealand Police in the past, developing a digital human.
[27:00] – Sean reveals that Ella, the digital human project with the New Zealand police, was a success in that feedback was overwhelmingly positive even though the police decided that they weren't ready.
[29:15] – We learn that we can look up what Ella looks like using the phrase New Zealand police Ella digital human.
[29:42] – Steve brings the episode to closure by thanking Sean for his time, and Sean shares with us how we can reach him.
Links and ResourcesSoul Machines
Ella
Sean's LinkedIn Page
Sean's Twitter Page
The Kiwi Innovator's Podcast
Sean's Instagram Page
Sean's Facebook Page
Steve Sponseller - Website
Steve Sponseller – Cracking the Patent Code
Wendy Covey, C.E.O. and co-founder of TREW Marketing as well as one of ten most innovative entrepreneurs in America named by Wall Street Journal, joins me today to discuss content marketing and how the world of technology has been affected by aspects such as generational trends and the current COVID-19 pandemic. TREW Marketing is a content marketing agency which serves companies that are seeking to target technological audiences, and, as Wendy discusses, that requires being innovative and human friendly.
Wendy shares how TREW Marketing came to be and what her hopes and fears are for the future of the company as well as the world of technology in general. She discusses what changes technology companies can expect to undergo within the next few years and how the world of technology has been and will continue to be impacted by changes in generational social behavior, something that she believes that effective leaders need to be able to keep up with. She, for example, hopes that technology companies will move away from the trend of being ahead in their solutions but behind in their operations, and she stresses how important that it is for technology entrepreneurs to know their audiences. She also approves, however, of how companies seem to be catering more toward their employees and providing benefits such as profit sharing and flexibility in hours.
We also discuss what impacts the current pandemic have had on technology companies and how the need for changes with how things are done has generally been more challenging for baby boomers but a smoother transition for millennials, and Wendy shares what plans are on the horizon within TREW Marketing for 2021. Be sure to check out TREW Marketing and what they are up to, and also be sure to subscribe to Tech Leader Talk so that you never miss an episode!
Time Stamps
[0:07] – Steve introduces this episode's guest, Wendy Covey, and tells us her credentials in the field of technology.
[1:23] – Wendy enthusiastically expounds upon her background, telling us a little bit about herself such as how her degree is in journalism and marketing and how she started her company TREW Marketing.
[4:06] – We learn about Wendy's fishing hobby and how she has a record for longest fish ever caught.
[5:13] – Wendy discusses what trends she predicts will affect technology companies within the next few years and how digital and online content is becoming more and more essential.
[7:47] – Steve and Wendy converse about how the current pandemic has had social consequences on the world in general but especially the world of technology.
[9:35] – We hear Wendy explain what impacts new trends are having on traditional content marketing.
[11:17] – Wendy defines what makes a good, successful technology leader to her, such as knowing their target audience and innovating accordingly.
[13:08] – Wendy talks about what worries her most about where the technology industry is headed, affirming that there needs to be a balance between efficiency and human interaction.
[14:26] – Wendy stresses how crucial that it is to assess your audience demographics before catering to them.
[16:52] – We learn what technologists can do if they have good technical knowledge but don't enjoy and/or aren't skilled at writing, such as collaborating with someone who is a skilled writer.
[19:09] – Wendy enthuses over being an optimistic person and details what she is hopeful for regarding the future of technology.
[21:28] – Wendy advises that it's important to share knowledge with other companies and be collaborative.
[24:18] – Wendy shares what her plans for 2021 are at TREW Marketing.
[26:20] – We discover how we can find Wendy online and learn more about her.
Links and Resources
Wendy Covey – Content Marketing, Engineered
Content Marketing, Engineered Podcast
TREW Marketing – Website
TREW Marketing Research Report
Wendy's LinkedIn Page
Steve Sponseller - Website
Steve Sponseller – Cracking the Patent Code
Welcome to the newly launched Tech Leader Talk podcast, hosted by yours truly, Steve Sponseller. The Tech Leader Talk podcast will highlight technology company leaders, entrepreneurs, and experts and will give them a platform to share their successes, challenges, and even some of their failures during their time in the technology industry. We talk about what seems to be working right now so that we can build on what we know for a better future and also so that you can learn about how to build upon your own business(es), lessons that will be learned from guests' successes and failures.
In the first episode of Tech Leader Talk, I warmly welcome Stephanie Frank and Bryce Kuhlman as my very first guests. Stephanie and Bryce both have long histories with the world of technology and are the co-founders of The Holisec Group, a company that seeks to create technology that puts people and the human experience first. Stephanie and Bryce share their stories about how they each came to be involved in the world of technology as well as how they came to meet and know each other and build the business partnership that they now have. They talk about their hopes and fears about the future of the world of technology and where it's headed, and they both discuss how important it is that technology leaders put people first, as they themselves do within The Holisec Group.
Stephanie and Frank also share with us news of their current project – My Calmpanions. My Calmpanions are aptly named artificially intelligent teddy bears meant to promote calmness and peace of mind for people. Be sure to visit the My Calmpanions website for more information about that project, and please be sure to subscribe to the Tech Leader Talk podcast so that you never miss an episode.
Time Stamps
[0:07] – Steve introduces himself and welcomes us to the first episode of the podcast, explaining what the premise of the podcast will be from here on out.
[0:55] – Steve introduces this episode's guests, Stephanie Frank and Bryce Kuhlman, and details their credentials and their experience working in the field of technology.
[2:08] – Stephanie provides us with further insight about her background and how she got started in the world of technology, which she says started as somewhat of an accident.
[4:11] – We learn a little bit about Stephanie's educational background and how that led to a career of cyber-intelligence.
[5:03] – Bryce tells us a little bit about his background and how he started out as a magician but then eventually got involved in technology because he liked to tinker with and make things.
[6:06] – We find out how Bryce received an education in engineering, physics, and robotics and how that led to his becoming a certified rocket scientist.
[8:14] – Bryce responds to Steve's question about what kind of impacts technology can expect to see within the next couple of years, commenting on artificial intelligence and augmented reality.
[9:43] – Stephanie elaborates upon how the current COVID-19 pandemic will likely affect people's behavior and psychology which will in turn affect technology.
[11:09] – Stephanie, Bryce, and Steve all discuss the relationship between technology and anonymity.
[12:19] – Stephanie discusses why some entrepreneurs in the technology industry are successful while others are not, iterating the importance of a consistent vision.
[15:06] – We learn that Stephanie and Bryce both agree that being in a field of technology should not be financially driven but should be about fulfilling others' lives.
[17:18] – Stephanie reveals that she didn't originally know that technology was her destined path but realized that technology had the powerful potential to help people.
[18:43] – Bryce expresses his worries regarding the world of technology, lamenting that there are many people's voices and ideas that are not being heard.
[19:23] – Stephanie agrees with Bryce but adds that she worries about technologists manipulating consumers.
[22:06] – Stephanie is optimistic that technology will be used for good and the betterment of humanity, and Bryce agrees, adding that technology allows people from all over the world to come together.
[23:14] – We discover how Stephanie and Bryce met and became co-founders of The Holisec Group.
[25:07] – Stephanie explains that she and Bryce are currently working on a project known as My Calmpanions, artificially intelligent teddy bears that promote calmness and peace of mind for people.
[27:57] – Stephanie offers advice to other technology leaders, stressing how important that it is to be truthful at all times.
[30:16] – Bryce agrees with Stephanie but adds that it's also essential to be willing to collaborate with others.
[32:13] – Stephanie tells us where we can find her and Bryce online.
Links and Resources
The Holisec Group - Website
My Calmpanions – Website
Steve Sponseller - Website
Steve Sponseller – Cracking the Patent Code