The Catalyst by Softchoice: Recent Episodes
Softchoice
When people and technology come together, the potential is limitless. But while everyone is used to hearing about the revolutionary impact of tech, it can be easy to forget about the people behind it all. This podcast shines a light on the human side of IT leaders, as host Erika Van Noort explores and reframes our relationship to technology.
Your AI bill just stopped behaving like a software bill. For twenty years, IT leaders got very good at counting seats: buy a hundred, pay for a hundred. Then AI swapped the seat for a meter, and the number stopped holding still.
This episode follows the burn from three vantage points: a financial analyst rationing a $250-a-month token budget he tore through in two days; the tech executive who watched enterprise AI bills climb 7x, 10x, 20x; and the IT leader at a 300-person company who refused to solve it with a usage dashboard. Along the way: Meta's leaked internal token leaderboard, Uber blowing its entire annual AI budget by April, and the uncomfortable question of who profits when everyone's told to use more.
In this episode:
- Why token-based pricing breaks the budgeting playbook IT has relied on for two decades
- What happens to the people using the tool when the meter starts running — and why rationing has a hidden cost
- Why measuring usage is the wrong scoreboard, and who benefits when you keep score anyway
- The mid-market move that beats policing: measure centrally, push the judgment to managers, and get clear on what you're optimizing for
Featuring Brian Elliott, CEO of Work Forward; Daryl Dore, Senior Director of IT & Information Security at Higher Logic; and Benjamin, a financial analyst who spoke with us on condition of anonymity.
Support our sponsor:
This episode is brought to you by Sophos MDR. Running Microsoft security tools and drowning in alerts? Sophos MDR's 24/7 experts investigate and stop the real threats.
Learn more at: https://www.sophos.com/en-us/solutions/use-cases/microsoft
ITLeadership #AICostManagement #SaaSManagement #FinOps #EnterpriseAI #TokenBurn #ITAM
Show Notes & Resources
Referenced in this episode
- Meta's internal AI token leaderboard (Fortune) — 85,000 employees ranked by token consumption; shut down days after it leaked.
- Uber burns its 2026 AI budget in four months (Forbes; TechCrunch) — adoption jumps 32% to 84% in a month; spend later capped.
- Jensen Huang on token consumption as a productivity signal (Tom's Hardware).
- Gartner: worldwide AI spending forecast to grow 47% in 2026 (Gartner).
- Zylo 2026 SaaS Management Index — the scale of wasted SaaS spend (Zylo).
- Brian Elliott's newsletter, Work Forward.
Guest: Daryl Dore — Higher Logic.
This episode's sponsor: Sophos MDR, in partnership with Softchoice — 24/7 managed detection and response for Microsoft environments. https://www.sophos.com/en-us/solutions/use-cases/microsoft
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
Almost every machine you can buy today is technically an “AI PC.” Which is exactly why the label can’t tell you what to buy. This episode skips the hype and asks the question IT leaders are actually wrestling with: why now, and what happens if you wait? Because two things just landed on the same calendar — the end of Windows 10 support, and an AI-driven memory shortage pushing hardware prices up every quarter — and together they’re quietly taking the refresh decision out of your hands.
In this episode:
- Why “AI PC” has stopped being a useful filter — and what to look at instead
- The hidden tax you’re already paying on the machines that still turn on
- How Windows 10’s end of support and the memory squeeze changed the math on waiting
- A practical way to make the refresh call: match the machine to the workload, not the org chart
Featuring Ivo van Selst, Senior Technical Solutions Architect for AI and Data at Softchoice, a World Wide Technology Company, and Brandon Boone of Dell Technologies’ Client Solutions Group.
This episode is brought to you by Dell Technologies.
Explore Dell’s AI PC lineup — Dell, Dell Pro and Dell Pro Max — and find the right fit for your fleet at softchoice.com/technology-partners/dell
AIPC #ITLeadership #DeviceRefresh #Windows11 #MidMarketIT #EndUserComputing #TheCatalyst
Show Notes & Resources
Referenced in this episode:
- Windows 10 end of support (October 14, 2025) — Microsoft: support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-10-support-has-ended-on-october-14-2025
- The global memory shortage and its impact on device costs — IDC: idc.com/resource-center/blog/global-memory-shortage-crisis
- DRAM prices and the AI memory squeeze — IEEE Spectrum: spectrum.ieee.org/dram-shortage
- AI-capable PCs to surpass half of global shipments in 2026 — Counterpoint Research: counterpointresearch.com/en/reports/ai-advanced-pcs-to-surpass-half-of-global-shipments-in-2026
- The productivity cost of aging PCs — Intel research (PCs 4+ years old lose ~21 hours per year)
- Dell’s AI PC portfolio — Dell, Dell Pro, Dell Pro Max: dell.com/en-us/blog/dell-transforms-ai-pc-portfolio-for-anywhere-productivity
- Workplace lifecycle services — Softchoice: softchoice.com/solutions/modern-workplace/managed-services/lifecycle-services
Guests:
- Ivo van Selst, Senior Technical Solutions Architect for AI and Data, Softchoice — linkedin.com/in/ivo-van-selst-4579a96
- Brandon Boone, Dell Technologies, Client Solutions Group — dell.com
Key moments:
- Cold open — the hidden tax: the laptop nobody complains about
- Act One — what an AI PC actually is, and why the label misleads
- Act Two — the false economy of deferring a refresh
- Act Three — Windows 10, the memory squeeze, and losing control of your timeline
- Act Four — match, don’t guess: segmenting your fleet by workload
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
If you read the headlines, you'd think nearly every major employer marched its workforce back to the office five days a week. The data says otherwise. And so does the human cost when companies push it anyway.
In this episode of The Catalyst, Brian Elliott, CEO of Work Forward, an anonymous 30-year IT veteran and former Marine, and Softchoice's Lisa Walkden lay out what return-to-office mandates are actually about — and what they cost the leaders who issue them.
Here's what you'll take away:
- Why only about a third of US companies actually went back to five days — and what's really driving the ones that did
- How a 30-year tech veteran ended up quiet-quitting his job, and what that reveals about the real cost of a mandate
- The reframe one Softchoice leader uses with executives weighing RTO — and the data that backs it up
- Why the same companies still picking the RTO fight are often the same ones struggling with AI adoption
Featuring: Brian Elliott, founder of the Flex Index and CEO of Work Forward; Lisa Walkden, Senior Manager of Workplace Experience at Softchoice, a World Wide Technology Company; and an anonymous IT leader who agreed to share his story on condition we don't name his employer.
ReturnToOffice #HybridWork #ITLeadership #WorkplaceStrategy #FutureOfWork #FlexIndex #TheCatalyst
Guests
- Brian Elliott — Work Forward
- Flex Index (Brian's data set) — flexindex.com
- Lisa Walkden — Softchoice
- Anonymous — 30-year tech veteran and former US Marine
Research & Data Cited
- Flex Index quarterly reports — flexindex.com/reports
- Stanford Survey of Working Arrangements and Attitudes (Nick Bloom, WFH Research) — wfhresearch.com
- Richmond Fed Economic Brief No. 24-16 (May 2024) — "Return-to-Office Orders: A Survey Analysis of Employment Impacts" by Grey Gordon and Sonya Ravindranath Waddell — richmondfed.org
- "Return-to-Office Mandates and Brain Drain" — research from the University of Pittsburgh and Baylor's Hankamer School of Business (3M+ workers tracked via LinkedIn data) — hankamer.baylor.edu
- CBRE data on workforce-manager geographic distribution (cited by Brian Elliott in interview)
More from Brian
- Work Forward newsletter — theworkforward.substack.com
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
There’s a quiet crisis running through IT leadership that nobody names in the meeting: the certainty that you’re in over your head, and that any minute now, someone’s going to find out. It comes with the job. And for women in tech, there’s a second layer underneath.
In this episode of The Catalyst, from Softchoice, a World Wide Technology Company, host Katey Teekasingh sits with three women who’ve lived imposter syndrome from every altitude: an IT director who wasn’t the first pick for her role, a five-time CTO who argues the field itself is the problem, and an MIT scientist who built a whole technology field while the engineering world dismissed her work — then won one of its highest honors.
Their answers about how to lead through doubt without faking it will reframe what most IT leaders quietly carry.
Key takeaways
- Why getting promoted for being the best engineer sets you up to feel like a fraud — and why it’s structural, not personal
- The second layer of doubt women in tech describe — the “merit, or a box to check?” question that follows them into every room
- How a top scientist reacted to winning one of engineering’s highest honors (hint: her first thought was “is this a scam?”)
- Three different strategies for leading through uncertainty — without pretending it isn’t there
Guest credentials
Rosalind Picard, ScD — Founder and Director of the Affective Computing Research Group at the MIT Media Lab; co-founder of Empatica and Affectiva; 2026 recipient of the IEEE Medal for Innovations in Healthcare Technology.
Meri Williams — Chief Technology Officer at Pleo; five-time CTO across fintech, retail, banking, and biotech; previously scaled the team that built GOV.UK at the UK’s Government Digital Service.
Julie Szaj — Director of Organizational Change Management at Washington University; 25+ years across education, learning design, and technology leadership.
About Our Sponsor
This episode is brought to you by HP, in partnership with Softchoice. HP helps organizations shape the future of work with AI-powered solutions across devices, printing, and services.
Learn more at https://www.softchoice.com/technology-partners/hp
Hashtags
TheCatalyst #Softchoice #HP #ITLeadership #ImposterSyndrome #WomenInTech #CTO #DigitalTransformation #MidMarketIT
Show Notes & Resources
Connect with our guests:
- Rosalind Picard — MIT Media Lab Affective Computing Group: media.mit.edu/groups/affective-computing
- Meri Williams — Pleo: pleo.io
- Julie Szaj — Washington University in St. Louis: wustl.edu
Referenced in the episode:
- Affective Computing (1997) by Rosalind Picard — the founding text of the field
- IEEE Medal for Innovations in Healthcare Technology — 2026 recipient: Rosalind Picard
- Empatica — wearable health technology co-founded by Picard: empatica.com
Learn more about HP’s partnership with Softchoice: https://www.softchoice.com/technology-partners/hp
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
Somewhere in your organization, an AI decision is sitting on someone’s desk right now. Who owns it? In most mid-market companies, nobody does — or rather, it’s landed on the IT leader who was already doing three other jobs.
In this episode of The Catalyst, we follow Jeremy Wight, CTO of CareMessage — a patient engagement platform serving 22 million low-income patients across the US — who had to write his organization’s AI policy himself. No committee. No playbook. Just the weight of getting it right for some of the most vulnerable people in the healthcare system.
Alongside Jeremy, we hear from Reid Blackman, author of The Ethical Nightmare Challenge and founder of Virtue, who argues that the standard policy-first approach to AI governance is already broken — and offers a framework any team can implement in weeks, not years. Olivia Gambelin, AI ethicist and author of Responsible AI, reframes the vendor selection question entirely: it’s not about auditing their product, it’s about whether their values align with yours. And Anthony Vinci, former intelligence officer and author of The Fourth Intelligence Revolution, draws an unexpected parallel — between the integrity required of a spy with no rulebook, and the integrity required of an IT leader doing the same.
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This episode is brought to you by HPE.
From AI to data center and network modernization, HPE delivers a cloud-like experience right on your own infrastructure — the full portfolio, from one partner. softchoice.com/technology-partners/hewlett-packard-enterprise
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In this episode:
- Why the policy-first approach to AI governance is broken — and what to do instead
- A practical three-question framework any team can implement this week
- How to evaluate AI vendors by values alignment, not just product capability
- What it actually looks like when one IT leader has to make these calls alone — with 22 million patients on the line
Featured guests: Jeremy Wight (CTO, CareMessage) • Reid Blackman (Founder/CEO, Virtue) • Olivia Gambelin (AI Ethicist & Author) • Anthony Vinci (CEO, VICO) • Craig McQueen (VP Microsoft Practice, Softchoice)
AIEthics #ResponsibleAI #ITLeadership #AIGovernance #TheCatalyst #Softchoice #MidMarket #HPE
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Show Notes & Resources
Guests
- Jeremy Wight, CTO — CareMessage: caremessage.org
- Reid Blackman, Founder/CEO — Virtue: reidblackman.com • The Ethical Nightmare Challenge (book, April 2025) • Ethical Machines (HBR Press, 2022)
- Olivia Gambelin, AI Ethicist: oliviagambelin.com • Responsible AI: Implement an Ethical Approach in Your Organization • Values Canvas framework — free download at oliviagambelin.com
- Anthony Vinci, CEO — VICO: anthonyvinci.com • The Fourth Intelligence Revolution (Henry Holt, 2025) • VICO forecasting platform: vico.ai
- Craig McQueen, VP Microsoft Practice — Softchoice, a World Wide Technology Company
Sponsor
- HPE via Softchoice: softchoice.com/technology-partners/hewlett-packard-enterprise
- Softchoice AI & Ethics resources: softchoice.com/EAS
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
Every IT leader has a “day one” story. The moment they opened the server closet, logged into the admin console, or reviewed the vendor contracts and realized the job they were hired for isn’t the job they actually have.
In this episode of The Catalyst, we follow Chris Schopf, an IT operations team lead who walked into a new job to find twelve-year-old servers, two unfinished infrastructure projects, and a team that had been poached by the outgoing manager. Then we hear from Leon Adato, a 37-year IT veteran who’s made a career of walking into other people’s messes, and Ned Bellavance, a former consultant who warns that not every mess is actually a mess. Some of it is “purposeful chaos” you just don’t understand yet.
What you’ll learn:
- How to tell the difference between a real disaster and “purposeful chaos” with reasons you don’t understand yet
- Why Chris convinced his CEO to stop all projects for two weeks — and how it saved the team
- The three-word business framework that gets IT leaders budget, staff, and permission to fix the mess: revenue, cost, risk
- Why learning to “speak business” doesn’t make you less technical — it makes you bilingual
Featuring:
Chris Schopf — IT Security Architect
Leon Adato — Principal Technical Marketing Engineer, Cribl
Ned Bellavance — Founder, Ned in the Cloud | Podcast Host
From Softchoice, a World Wide Technology company — this is The Catalyst.
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
After our biggest season ever — nearly 80,000 downloads, a top 2% global ranking, and a documentary-style approach unlike any other show in B2B tech — host Katey Teekasingh is back to set up what's coming next.
Season 8 takes on the questions mid-market IT leaders are quietly wrestling with right now: the rise of accidental AI ethics officers. The imposter feeling that follows even the most senior leaders. The SaaSpocalypse threatening to undo years of cost optimization. What happens when you inherit a mess. The new realities of security and the return to the office. And a lot more.
We're bringing you the human side of IT — told like a documentary, not a Q&A.
New episodes every second Wednesday. Only on The Catalyst — from Softchoice, a World Wide Technology company.
Subscribe now and join the thousands of IT leaders already listening.Listen to back episodes and more: https://www.softchoice.com/podcast
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
For decades, building software meant doing eighty percent of the hard work before you had anything to show for it. AI just flipped that equation. And it's creating a risk nobody planned for.
In this episode of The Catalyst, host Katey Teekasingh explores vibe coding — the technology that lets anyone build software by describing what they want in plain language. It was named Collins Dictionary's 2025 Word of the Year. It's already inside your organization. And in late 2025, it might have taken down Amazon's own cloud for thirteen hours.
Three experts break down where vibe coding genuinely helps, where it's dangerous, and what to put in place before it touches anything that matters.
In This Episode
- Why “the pilot is dead, long live the pilot” — and what that means for how mid-market IT teams test new ideas
- The 80/20 flip that makes AI-generated code fundamentally different from everything before it
- What happened at Amazon when an AI coding tool deleted a live production environment
- The five questions every IT leader should answer before a single line of AI code gets generated
Guests
- Greg Whalen, CTO, Prove AI
- Ron Espinosa, Director, Google Category, Softchoice
- Sean Larkin, AI Principal Architect, Softchoice
Support Our Sponsor
This episode of The Catalyst is brought to you by Veeam Data Cloud Vault — fully managed, secure cloud storage for your backups, with no surprise bills and zero configuration headaches.
Sign up for their AWS Demo Series and see it in action:
https://veeam.com/aws-native-backup-demo-series.html
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
What got you here won't get you there. For most IT leaders, the path to the top was paved with expertise — knowing the systems, owning the decisions, having the answers. But something happens when that playbook stops working. Not a crash. Not a failure. Just a quiet plateau that tells you something needs to change.
In this episode of The Catalyst, we explore what's on the other side of that wall: a shift toward curiosity, empowerment, and a fundamentally different way of leading. Featuring leadership coach Kirsten Schmidtke, curiosity researcher Dr. Deb Clary, and Benevity VP of Engineering Rob Woolley — three voices who all landed in the same place.
What you'll take away:
- Why expertise becomes a trap for senior IT leaders — and how to recognize when it's happening to you
- The one behaviour change Rob Woolley made that created what he calls "titanic shifts" in his leadership
- What MIT-commissioned research reveals about the direct link between curiosity and organizational performance
- Why the best leaders aren't the ones with the most answers — and what they do instead
Featuring: Rob Woolley, VP Core Platform & Data Engineering at Benevity | Kirsten Schmidtke, Leadership Coach & Growth Advisor | Dr. Deb Clary, Author of The Curiosity Curve (Fast Company Press)
Learn more about Kirsten at kirstenschmidtke.com
Take Deb's curiosity assessment at debraclary.com
ITLeadership #MidMarketIT #TheCatalyst #CuriousLeadership #Softchoice #LeadershipDevelopment #FutureOfIT
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
Every vendor in the industry is slapping the word "agentic" on their roadmap. But, what is agentic AI, really? And should IT leaders care?
In this episode, we bring together three voices with very different answers: a skeptic who says it's rebranded orchestration, a strategist who says the reasoning layer is genuinely new, and a founder betting his company on it. Together, they cut through the noise and answer the question every IT leader is quietly asking: what should I actually do about agentic AI in 2026?
Key takeaways:
- Why 80% of AI projects fail — and it has nothing to do with the technology
- The difference between "embedded agents" you're already using and custom agents you probably don't need yet
- "Start with your decisions, not your technology" — a practical framework for mid-market teams
- How to move AI from "pet project" to operationalized infrastructure
Featuring: Sean Larkin, Principal Architect at Softchoice, a World Wide Technology company | Scott Trump, Founder & CEO of Treva AI (former AWS, Google Cloud, Oracle) | Skip Vanderburg, Founder of Prioriti AI
AgenticAI #MidMarketIT #AIStrategy #TheCatalyst #Softchoice #ITLeadership
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
When David Koopmans' IT manager started sending strange messages to employees, David knew something was wrong. By then, threat actors had been inside his network for 30 days.
What followed was a ransomware nightmare that cost $14 million, put David in the hospital, and ended with him being let go—despite years of warning leadership they needed to invest in security.
In this episode, we follow David's story from chaos to recovery, with expert context from Fortinet's incident response team on what actually happens when the call comes in (spoiler: it's always Friday afternoon), the critical mistakes that make attacks worse, and why 30 minutes a week of preparation could be the difference between survival and catastrophe.
Key Takeaways:
- Why "we're not a target" is the most dangerous assumption in securit
- The common mistake that lets attackers hit you twice
- How tabletop exercises helped one company respond to a near-identical real incident
- The 30-minute weekly habit that separates prepared teams from overwhelmed ones
Featuring:
David Koopmans (CIO, MMT Ambulance), Josh Brewer (Softchoice), John Simmons (FortiGuard IR Lead, Americas), John Hollenberger (FortiGuard Proactive Lead)
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This episode is brought to you by Fortinet
When a cyber incident hits, the difference between chaos and recovery comes down to preparation. Learn how FortiGuard Incident Response Services can help your team respond faster and recover stronger at softchoice.com/fortinet
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Resources
• FortiGuard Incident Response Services: softchoice.com/fortinet
• Book: "Cybersecurity Tabletop Exercises: From Planning to Execution" by John Hollenberger (No Starch Press, October 2024)
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
Multi-cloud used to be a dirty word — something that happened to you through mergers, shadow IT, or teams gone rogue with corporate cards. But the walls came down, the standards converged, and best-of-breed finally seemed within reach. Then AI arrived with a whole new layer of complexity.
Or did it?
In this episode, we explore how agentic AI might actually solve the thing that made multi-cloud hard in the first place. Three cloud experts—Jack French from World Wide Technology, Alex Kozaris from Softchoice's AWS practice, and Ron Espinosa from Softchoice's Google Cloud team—break down what's changed, what matters for mid-market teams, and why the "gold record" might finally be possible.
Key Takeaways:
• Why 90% of organizations are already multi-cloud (whether they planned to be or not)
• How abstraction layers and platform engineering help smaller teams manage complexity
• What each major cloud does best: AWS for builders, Microsoft for productivity, Google for data/AI
• The compliance curve ball forcing some organizations into multi-cloud for AI governance
• How agentic AI creates "connective tissue" that makes integration problems irrelevant
Featuring:
• Jack French, Senior Director of Cloud, World Wide Technology
• Alex Kozaris, Public Cloud Leader for AWS, Softchoice
• Ron Espinosa, Google Cloud Category Director, Softchoice
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
Everyone's chasing AI. Meanwhile, most organizations are wasting 25-30% of their software budget on tools nobody uses.
In this episode, we meet James Malek, Senior VP of IT Infrastructure at Lexitas, who inherited chaos—45 acquisitions in five years, no structured IT department, and a hodgepodge of contracts everywhere. Instead of chasing the next shiny thing, James took a different approach: foundation first.
What his team discovered when they finally got visibility into their software estate—including 300 employees using ChatGPT at a legal services company handling sensitive data—changed everything.
In this episode, you'll learn:
• Why software waste persists despite decades of awareness—and what actually fixes it
• How one company consolidated seven separate ShareFile contracts into one
• The shadow AI problem hiding in your organization right now
• Why you can't do it all yourself—and what to do instead
Featuring:
• James Malek, Senior VP of IT Infrastructure, Lexitas
• Elizabeth D'Amico, Manager, SAM Programs & Enablement, Softchoice
• Josh Brewer, Account Executive, Softchoice
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
AI is transforming education—but not evenly, and not easily.
In this episode of The Catalyst, we step inside classrooms, school boards, and districts, navigating the AI revolution with tight budgets, limited staff, and high stakes for students. From fears around cheating and data privacy to confusion over licensing and unused tools already paid for, this conversation reveals what AI adoption really looks like in public education.
Featuring educators, IT leaders, and policy thinkers on the front lines, the episode explores what schools are getting wrong, what’s quietly working, and why the biggest barrier to AI in education may no longer be money—but people and readiness.
You’ll hear from:
- Drew Olsson, Director of AI & Instructional Technology, Agua Fria Union High School District
- Sophie McQueen, Resource Teacher & Board Consultant, Conseil scolaire ViaMonde
- José Antonio Bowen, Senior Fellow, AAC&U Author, Teaching with AI
- Sandali Amunugama, Microsoft Education Specialist, Softchoice
Key takeaways:
- Why academic integrity fears are masking a deeper relationship problem
- How most schools already have AI tools they aren’t using
- What happens when AI costs drop—but training and trust don’t
- Why meaningful adoption spreads teacher-to-teacher, not top-down
This episode is a candid look at what it takes to move forward when guidance is unclear, expectations are high, and standing still isn’t an option.
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Learn how Softchoice, a World Wide Technology company, helps public sector and education teams do more: softchoice.com/public-sector.
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
Enterprise expectations. Startup-sized teams. And zero margin for failure.
Across museums, national parks, retail stores, and nonprofit organizations, mid-market IT leaders are being asked to do more than ever—with fewer people, tighter budgets, and growing complexity. Most burn out. Some figure it out.
In this episode, The Catalyst brings together two leaders navigating that reality from different sides of the work:
- Scott Gagon, Network Security Engineer, Event Network
- Tariq Chaudhri, VP of Technology, Goodwill of Northwest North Carolina
Together, they explore what it takes for small IT teams to support enterprise-scale environments—and why trusted partnerships are often the difference between survival and real progress.
You’ll hear:
- How small IT teams manage massive, distributed operations
- Why empathy, mission, and decisiveness matter as much as tools
- How partners like Softchoice become force multipliers—not vendors
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
When mid-market IT leaders call about AI, most ask the wrong question. Instead of “What problem are we solving?” they jump straight to “Which LLM should we use?” — a mindset that helps explain why 95% of AI pilots fail to deliver measurable business returns.
In this episode, two of Softchoice’s leading AI experts — Sean Larkin, AI Principal Architect, and Ron Espinosa, Director, Google Cloud Category — break down why technology-first thinking derails AI initiatives before they start. From market validation to crawl-walk-run design, they reveal how organizations can escape the hype cycle and build AI solutions that actually work.
Key takeaways:
- Why “What LLM should we use?” is the wrong first question
- How market validation prevents multimillion-dollar failures
- Why data hygiene is still the most overlooked risk
- What crawl-walk-run actually means in AI deployments
- How executive alignment eliminates costly blind spots between IT and business teams
Guests
- Sean Larkin, AI Principal Architect, Softchoice
- Ron Espinosa, Director, Google Cloud Category, Softchoice
This episode is packed with field stories, hard truths, and practical frameworks mid-market organizations can apply immediately.
Take the first step in your AI journey
Book your Executive Alignment Session today: https://www.softchoice.com/solutions/ai-and-data/executive-alignment-session
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
937 applications. 42 interviews. 80 days. That's what it took one experienced data scientist to land a job in 2025—and he's one of the lucky ones.
In this episode of The Catalyst, we follow two tech professionals through what they call "the worst job market ever." Emily, a software developer with 10 years of experience and a degree from University of Waterloo's prestigious computer science program, gets laid off on a Tuesday and was interviewing the next day. Santiago, a data scientist and former manager at Deloitte, launches what he calls a "denial of service attack" on the job market—bombarding it with nearly a thousand applications while tracking every rejection in a dashboard styled like Super Mario.
Both land jobs. Both consider themselves fortunate. And both say the system is fundamentally broken.
Meanwhile, over 700 tech workers are being laid off every day while companies claim they can't find talent. Something doesn't add up. Through their stories and expert analysis from Bobby Burns, Vice President of R&D at Indeed, we uncover what's really happening: applicant tracking systems filtering out 75% of qualified candidates, AI conducting first-round interviews before humans ever get involved, and a catch-22 nobody can solve—where will senior developers come from in 2030 if we're not hiring junior developers in 2025?
Key Takeaways:
- Why the "talent shortage" exists alongside mass tech layoffs
- How applicant tracking systems reject 75% of resumes due to formatting issues
- The psychological toll of sending hundreds of applications into the void
- What AI tools might (and might not) fix about hiring and fighting bias
- Why even graduates from top programs can't get entry-level roles
Read about Emily's experience on her Medium: https://emilyxiong.medium.com/my-experience-of-finding-a-tech-job-in-2025-6830297c5197
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This episode is brought to you by Softchoice, a World Wide Technology company. We work with mid-market IT leaders on their biggest challenges, including how to build and retain great teams in a market that makes it harder than ever. Visit softchoice.com to learn more.
Listen now at: softchoice.com/podcast
TechJobs #Hiring #ITCareers #JobSearch #TechLayoffs #TheCatalyst #Softchoice
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
Every night, IT professionals across the country go home and cry. They work until 10PM unpaid. They become "the guy" their entire organization depends on. They stay in toxic jobs because they feel guilty, or because people are counting on them, or because they simply can't imagine leaving.
In this episode of The Catalyst by Softchoice, we follow two IT professionals through their burnout journeys. Sean stayed at a behavioral health nonprofit for years, supporting 1500 users with just two techs and management that thought IT "just helps people log in." He rebuilt the entire infrastructure while crying himself to sleep at night, driven by mission and what clinical psychologist Dr. Rick Ginsberg calls "responsibility handcuffs."
John worked at a Manhattan company where he felt so grateful for his salary that he stayed through years of abuse and lies. He'd sit at his desk until 9 or 10PM—not because of emergencies, but because he had no energy left to stand up.
One stayed and rebuilt his broken department into a world-class operation. The other escaped to his dream job doing Linux work. Both had to heal from trauma. And according to Business Insider, 57% of IT workers report the same burnout they experienced.
Through their stories and expert analysis from Dr. Rick Ginsberg, we explore why burnout has become epidemic in IT, what the warning signs are, and—most importantly—what can actually be done about it.
Key Takeaways:
- Why IT professionals are particularly vulnerable to "responsibility handcuffs"
- The difference between staying to rebuild and knowing when to leave
- How gratitude can become a trap that keeps you in toxic environments
- What managers need to do differently to prevent team burnout
- Why 76% of IT workers say job stress is getting worse every year
This episode is brought to you by Softchoice Cloud Lifecycle Services Plus for Microsoft Azure. Get control of your Azure subscriptions, optimize your cloud spend, and access the technical support you actually need when you need it.
Visit softchoice.com/azurecls to learn more.
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
What if the best employee AI adoption strategy is one most companies refuse to try?
While business leaders rush to mandate AI from the top down, Softchoice discovered something counterintuitive: the most successful transformations happen when you let people experiment on their own terms. (Safely!)
This episode takes you inside Softchoice's organic approach to AI adoption—from a VP who started experimenting with AI nine months before ChatGPT launched, to an engineering team that went from skepticism to shipping code in a single prompt, to a solutions architect who hit 300% of plan by letting AI handle his meeting notes.
You'll learn:
- Why psychological safety beats corporate mandates for technology adoption
- How to balance experimentation with responsible guardrails
- The "crawl, walk, run" framework that scales innovation
- Why one person with AI can match an entire marketing department's output
Featuring:
- Craig McQueen, VP of AI Solutions, Softchoice
- Andrew Campbell, Engineering Manager – App Development & AI Solutions, Softchoice
- Geoffrey Whalley, Solutions Architect, Softchoice
- Danielle Ryterband, Associate General Counsel & Privacy Officer, Softchoice
This isn't just an AI story. It's a framework for how change actually happens in organizations—and how IT leaders can apply it to any transformative technology.
This episode is brought to you by Arctic Wolf Incident Response.
When a cyber attack hits, Arctic Wolf's insurance-approved team gets you back to business fast with 24/7 containment, digital forensics, and full business restoration.
Learn more at softchoice.com/arcticwolf
ArtificialIntelligence #ITLeadership #DigitalTransformation #ChangeManagement #Softchoice #MidMarketIT #AIAdoption
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
For six years, The Catalyst brought you conversations with IT leaders solving hard problems. But we kept hearing stories that couldn't fit into a single interview—stories that needed multiple voices, conflicting perspectives, the messy truth of what it's really like out there.
Season 7 changes everything. We're making audio documentaries—think This American Life for the IT team. Each episode weaves together real experiences: the burnout nobody admits to, the worst tech job market ever, AI projects burning millions because someone asked the wrong question.
This is what happens when you stop treating IT stories like case studies and start treating them like what they are: human stories about navigating impossible choices.
Small Teams, Big Dreams. A new season starts now.
Stream all episodes and get additional resources at softchoice.com/podcast.
The Catalyst is brought to you by Softchoice, a World Wide Technology company.
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
The rise of AI isn’t just about smarter machines—it’s about reshaping the way we work, create, and innovate.
In the season finale of The Catalyst by Softchoice, Heather Haskin sits down with Gil Press, senior contributor at Forbes, to trace the modern history of AI.
From the early breakthroughs in deep learning to the rise of generative AI, Press explores the key moments that shaped the AI industry and where the technology is headed next.
Featuring: Gil Press, Senior Contributor at Forbes
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
The future of tech isn’t just about speed and innovation—it’s about who gets a seat at the table.
In this episode of The Catalyst by Softchoice, Rachel Skaff, AWS Managing Director of America’s Channel and Partner Sales, joins Heather Haskin to explore how Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are driving innovation in tech.
From her unconventional path into the industry to leading DEI initiatives at Amazon, Skaff shares insights on fostering inclusivity and ensuring AI development remains fair and unbiased.
This episode is brought to you by AWS. Transform your document workflows with AWS Document AI Services. Visit softchoice.com/awsai today!
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
The future of business is a conversation. In this episode of The Catalyst by Softchoice, Heather Haskin and Craig McQueen, Vice President of AI Solutions at Softchoice, dive into how conversational AI is reshaping industries and redefining success.
From smarter customer support to groundbreaking innovations, discover why this technology is more than just talk—it’s a game-changer. With real-world examples and insights into overcoming challenges, this episode is your ultimate guide to navigating the AI revolution.
Featuring: Craig McQueen, Softchoice Vice President of AI Solutions
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
What if your company could leverage AI to not only increase productivity but also improve your mental well-being? What if the secret to transforming your workplace culture and achieving extraordinary results lay in the smallest, most intentional changes?
In this episode of The Catalyst by Softchoice, host Heather Haskin sits down with 1-Degree/Shift founders Suchitra Davies-Webb and Nick Foster to explore how small, intentional shifts in leadership can drive transformative change in workplace culture.
From fostering conscious accountability to utilizing innovative AI tools, discover how their unique approach helps organizations achieve inclusivity, well-being, and high performance. Listen in to learn how small changes can lead to extraordinary results.
Featuring: 1-Degree/Shift co-founders Suchitra Davies-Webb and Nick Foster
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
A lot of charities are just trying to keep the lights on. They don’t have resources for tech infrastructure and training. That’s where Softchoice’s Charity Accelerator Program comes in.
In this episode of The Catalyst by Softchoice, host Heather Haskin dives into the transformative power of technology for small charities with Joseph Byer and Jill Crowley, co-chairs of Softchoice’s Charity Accelerator Program (CAP).
Discover how this groundbreaking initiative helps nonprofits overcome technological challenges, from outdated systems to limited budgets, by offering tailored support and mentorship.
Featuring: Jill Crowley and Joseph Byer, co-chairs of Softchoice’s Charity Accelerator Program
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
What if your company could leverage AI to not only increase productivity but also improve your mental well-being?
In this episode of The Catalyst, Heather Haskin speaks with Anna Baird, Chief Customer Officer for Generative AI Go-to-Market at Google, about the crucial human element in AI implementation.
They discuss how to leverage AI to enhance, not undermine, the employee experience, fostering psychological safety and well-being. Learn how to navigate the challenges of AI integration while prioritizing employee empowerment and creating a more supportive work environment.
This episode is brought to you by Google Cloud. Simplify document processing with Google Cloud's Document AI, capturing 99 percent of data from any format. Visit softchoice.com to get started.
Featuring: Anna Baird, Chief Customer Officer for Generative AI Go-to-Market at Google
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
It’s one thing to hear about the speeds and feeds of a technology – and quite another to get a real human voice, to shine a light on the real value these tools can offer us.
In this episode, host Heather Haskin delves into the practical applications of Microsoft Copilot with Cole Pascua, Senior Microsoft Modern Work Specialist at SoftChoice.
Cole provides a firsthand account of Softchoice's Copilot journey, sharing both their successes and challenges in implementing and integrating this transformative AI tool. He discusses how Copilot has impacted workflows, boosted creativity, empowered decision-making, and streamlined operations.
This episode is brought to you by Microsoft. Unlock the potential of Copilot for Microsoft 365 and transform your operations with a Copilot Readiness Assessment from Softchoice.
Visit softchoice.com/copilot to learn more.
Featuring: Cole Pasqua, Senior Microsoft Modern Work Specialist, SoftChoice
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
Quantum computing promises to be one of the most disruptive technologies of our time. But it also brings the risk of unparalleled cybersecurity threats.
In this episode of The Catalyst by Softchoice, we delve into the world of quantum computing and its implications for cybersecurity. Dr. Vito Nozza, Principal of Security at Softchoice Design Studio and a PhD in cybersecurity, joins us to discuss the exciting potential of quantum computing while highlighting the significant cybersecurity risks it presents.
We explore practical steps to enhance data protection strategies and address the potential risks associated with emerging technologies like quantum computing and AI. Learn how to proactively safeguard your organization’s data in the face of these threats.
Featuring: Dr. Vito Nozza, Principal of Security at Softchoice Design Studio
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
In this special episode, host Heather Haskin dives deep into the world of AI-driven digital transformation with Rekha Narang, Director of Partner Technology at Microsoft. Rekha provides an inside look at the evolution of Microsoft Copilot, a tool that has transformed how organizations work, collaborate, and deliver results.
They explore Copilot’s journey from its launch in November 2023 to its game-changing impact today, as well as the crucial role diversity, inclusion, and partnerships have played in this transformation. Rekha also shares personal leadership insights and looks ahead at what’s next for Copilot.
Tune in to learn more about how Microsoft Copilot is reshaping industries, empowering teams, and redefining the future of work.
This episode is brought to you by Microsoft. Unlock the potential of Copilot for Microsoft 365 and see how it can transform your operations with a Copilot Readiness Assessment from Softchoice. Visit softchoice.com/copilot to learn more.
Featuring: Rekha Narang, Director, Partner Technology Microsoft
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
Is your business ready for the end of Windows 10, or are you risking being left behind in the next wave of digital transformation?
In this episode, host Aaron Brooks is joined by industry experts Cameron Allen from Intel, Kirk Sinclair from Microsoft, and Bryan Rusche from Softchoice for a roundtable discussion on now to navigate the shift to Windows 11.
The panel delves into the strategic importance of upgrading, addressing security, hardware readiness, and the impact of AI. They explore the challenges and opportunities businesses face during this transition, providing actionable advice for IT leaders on how to build a smooth migration strategy and future-proof their IT infrastructure.
Featuring: Cameron Allen, Partner Account Manager at Intel Canada, Kirk Sinclair, Partner Account Manager at Microsoft and Bryan Rusche, GTM Product Manager at Softchoice
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
In this episode, co-hosts Aaron Brooks and Heather Haskin take a break from the constant buzz around generative AI and ChatGPT to explore what else is shaping the future of IT. From cybersecurity threats in the age of quantum computing to the rising expectation for businesses to become content creators, this mid-season check-in dives into the trends and insights flying under the AI radar. Don’t miss this candid conversation that uncovers some of the key issues transforming the tech world in 2024—beyond AI.
Featuring: Aaron Brooks, VP Customer Strategy and Solution Sales at Softchoice and Heather Haskin, Business Development Manager AWS at Softchoice
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
What's it like being at the helm of a security operation that safeguards thousands of businesses worldwide, with new cyber threats emerging every single day?
In this episode, host Heather Haskin meets with Raja Patel, Chief Product Officer at Sophos, to uncover the strategies that keep one of the world’s leading cybersecurity companies ahead in an ever-evolving digital landscape. As cyber threats become more sophisticated and relentless, Patel shares his unique approach to building resilient security solutions that not only anticipate future challenges but also empower teams to think creatively and collaboratively.
Discover how Sophos is pushing the boundaries of cybersecurity by blending innovation, strategic foresight, and a people-first mindset to protect organizations worldwide.
Featuring: Raja Patel, Chief Product Officer, Sophos
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
What if the key to becoming a more dynamic and effective leader lies not in boardrooms or business school – but on the improv stage?
In this episode, host Aaron Brooks and guest Stephanie Malek, Corporate Director and Production Manager at Bad Dog Theatre, delve into how the unexpected world of improvisation holds transformative lessons for business and IT leaders. Tune in to learn how to bring the spontaneity and creativity of improv into your leadership style, helping you navigate the complexities of today's business landscape with greater confidence and agility.
Featuring: Stephanie Malek, Corporate Director and Production Manager at Bad Dog Theatre
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
Can a leader effectively inspire and drive success without being physically present? As tech giants like Google, Amazon, Meta, and Apple mandate a return to the office, this question is top of mind. In this episode, host Heather Haskin interviews Angela Cope, the Director of Demand Generation at Softchoice, about her life as a remote leader amidst this wave of return-to-office mandates.
From her home in rural Nova Scotia, Angela shares her unique perspective on leading from afar. Discover her daily routine, the key challenges and advantages of remote leadership, and what it takes to successfully manage a team from a distance in an ever-evolving work landscape. Tune in for an insightful discussion on the future of remote work and effective leadership strategies.
Featuring: Angela Cope, Director of Demand Generation at Softchoice
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
In this special bonus episode of The Catalyst, host Heather Haskin welcomes Greg McDonald, Senior Solutions Architect at Softchoice, to discuss the recent CrowdStrike outage that disrupted businesses globally. They focus on actionable steps business leaders and IT professionals can take to enhance their resilience against future incidents.
What You'll Learn:
- Immediate steps businesses should take in response to the outage
- Key prevention strategies to avoid similar disruptions
- The benefits of having a managed service provider for rapid support and recovery
Stay informed and proactive by tuning in to this insightful episode.
Featuring: Greg McDonald, Senior Solutions Architect at Softchoice
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
Across organizations, every team is driven by the desire to innovate and perform, adopting its own set of SaaS tools to help drive growth. But without a centralized strategy, suddenly you’re faced with mounting costs, redundant software, and security vulnerabilities.
On today’s episode, co-host Aaron Brooks meets with John Harden, Director of Product SaaS Management at Auvik, and Raksha Matthias, Director of Software Asset Management Strategy at Softchoice to unravel the complexities of SaaS sprawl, offering practical solutions and strategies for businesses leaders to regain control and drive efficient, secure, and innovative software usage.
Featuring: John Harden, Director of Product – SaaS Management at Auvik and Raksha Matthias, Director, Software Asset Management Strategy at Softchoice
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
This episode is brought to you by Softchoice SAM+ To learn more, visit softchoice.com.
Brian Stevens is the CEO of Neural Magic and former CTO of Google Cloud.
In this episode, Heather speaks to Brian about intersection of AI, open source, and ethical responsibility. Brian shares his insights on the vital role of open source models in fostering transparency, the challenges of navigating AI’s ethical landscape, and the future of responsible development. He discusses why the democratization of AI should be important for business leaders and how to get started with large language models at enterprises of all sizes.
Featuring: Brian Stevens, CEO of Neural Magic and former CTO of Google Cloud.
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
This episode is brought to you by Google Cloud. To learn more, visit softchoice.com/google
What if your team's full potential lay in the hands of an AI assistant that could learn from you, adapt to your needs, and streamline your daily operations? How do you sustain momentum through initial adoption to ongoing optimization? This concern is the focus of the final episode of this miniseries, where we host Kayla Thorpe, Senior Manager for Workplace AI Consulting, and host Braeden Banks delve into the crucial final stages of Softchoice's Microsoft Copilot adoption journey: 'Adopt & Sustain.' Kayla shares her experience and practical tips on how to engage teams, overcome obstacles, and foster a culture that not only embraces but thrives on innovative technology.
Featuring: Kayla Thorpe, Senior Manager for Workplace AI Consulting at Softchoice
How do you integrate something like Microsoft 365 Copilot into the everyday workflow of your organization without making a mess of it? That's the question that drives the third episode in this miniseries, which focuses on the 'Implement' phase of the Copilot Adoption Journey with guest Craig McQueen, Vice President of AI Solutions at Softchoice. Craig shares his expertise on how to introduce Microsoft 365 Copilot in your organization, starting with a single group, tailoring the experience, and validating its value before scaling further. The conversation reveals how a gradual, careful implementation can lead to profound organizational transformation and set the stage for broader adoption.
Featuring: Craig McQueen, Vice President of AI Solutions at Softchoice
The biggest architectural change to the humble chipset is underway. Its aim: deliver artificial intelligence to the PC.
Host Aaron Brooks meets with Cameron Allen, partner account manager at Intel Canada, to get the details. We'll hear about all the reasons Intel is taking this quantum leap toward portable AI, herald the arrival of neural processing units (NPUs), and discuss what all this means for technology and business leaders.
Hear Cameron explain the concepts behind NPUs are and how they direct the CPU and GPU for optimization, performance and security gains. With GPU scarcity hindering AI innovation, he articulates the need for an open, sustainable supply chain. He also dives into customer outcomes and use cases, including all the ways NPUs can support AI democratization. Don't miss this fascinating glimpse into the next evolution of the PC.
Featuring: Cameron Allen, Partner Account Manager at Intel Canada
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
This episode is brought to you by Intel. Deliver all the AI results you need, everywhere you need them, with Intel and Softchoice, together. Contact a Softchoice representative today to learn about Intel’s comprehensive AI solutions, and how we can unlock them for you. Or get started here: https://www.softchoice.com/technology-partners/intel
'Look before you leap' is often the difference between success and failure when it comes to adopting a new technology.
When it comes to Copilot for Microsoft 365, the importance of assessing your organizational readiness before you implement can’t be overstated.
On this episode of this miniseries on The Catalyst podcast, step into the 'Assess' phase of the Copilot Adoption Journey with Matt Vasil, Director of Emerging Technology at Softchoice. We get into the essential preparations for implementing Copilot for Microsoft 365, from measuring the potential licensing impacts to minding security gaps to answering the question, “Are our people truly ready?”
Matt offers key insights into how to evaluate your environment to make sure your Copilot adoption stays on course and ultimately sticks the landing.
Featuring: Matt Vasil, Director of Emerging Technology at Softchoice
Businesses everywhere taking a good, hard look at Copilot for Microsoft 365 are all wondering the same thing: is it really worth the hype? That's what we're here to find out.
On the inaugural episode of this brand-new miniseries courtesy of The Catalyst by Softchoice, host Braeden Braeden Banks and guest Jaime Waterfield, Director of Microsoft Category at Softchoice, explore the crucial beginnings of building a Copilot business case for Microsoft 365. Discover the best practices and potential pitfalls in planning your strategy and learn how to effectively generate buy-in and set the stage for success. Tune in to start your journey with a solid plan and get inspired to transform your business's digital landscape.
Featuring: Jaime Waterfield, Director of Microsoft Category at Softchoice
See how we can help you unleash the potential of your people and technology with Copilot: softchoice.com/microsoft-copilot
What lessons from elite athletic coaching can empower today’s business leaders? With the summer Olympics just around the corner, we asked Pete Steinberg, leadership consultant and celebrated rugby coach, that very question.
He discusses how feedback is the fuel of high performance, in sports and business. Like a rugby coach leading from the stands, the further up the leadership ladder, the less control you have. That's why Steinberg provides strategies for empowering your employees to manage strategic decisions and conflict.
We also delve into his new book, Leadership Shock, which addresses navigating new and fundamentally different leadership challenges using his Authentic Leadership Model.
He discusses finding purpose as a leader, understanding self-identity, and building a culture of experimentation.
Featuring: Pete Steinberg, President of Innovative Thought and author of Leadership Shock. Find out more about Pete and his book here: Innovative Thought - Peter Steinberg Book
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
How will Adobe’s foray into Generative AI impact how your team creates and collaborates? That’s what we wanted to find out.
On the latest episode of The Catalyst Podcast, co-host Heather Haskin sits down with Adobe’s Principal Product Marketing Manager, Lori DeFurio, to explore the transformative role of AI within Adobe's ecosystem to empower human productivity. DeFurio provides valuable insights on how business leaders can strategically adopt generative AI while upholding ethical standards and fostering an environment of innovation.
Featuring: Lori DeFurio, Principal Product Marketing Manager at Adobe
The Catalyst by Softchoice is a podcast about unleashing the full potential in people and technology.
Season 6 of The Catalyst by Softchoice kicks off with an episode that questions conventional wisdom about IT leadership. Aaron Brooks sits down with Eric Champagne, CIO of La Vie en Rose, to hear how Eric is flipping the script. Eric’s story is all about bridging a longstanding gap between IT and end-users, with the goal of making technology a tool for empowerment and efficiency.
Gone are the days of tech gatekeeping. Eric champions a philosophy where technology aligns seamlessly with business goals and, more crucially, the people it serves. His approach? Ditching the tech jargon for a language of collaboration and understanding, making him a leader in creating a more inclusive, user-focused IT culture.
Featuring: Eric Champagne, CIO, La Vie En Rose
The Catalyst by Softchoice is a podcast about unleashing the full potential in people and technology.
This season on The Catalyst, a podcast about unleashing the full potential in people and technology, co-hosts Aaron Brooks and Heather Haskin explore the transformative power of tech, not just within businesses, but also through the personal journeys of those at the forefront of change. Every episode is packed with stories of triumph and the valuable lessons learned from the setbacks along the way. Tune in bi-weekly and discover why the most important conversations surrounding people in tech are happening right here.
Learn more: softchoice.com/podcast
Imagine everyone with a great business idea could make it happen without a deep engineering bench or tens of millions of dollars in funding.
How would that change competition in an already hypercompetitive marketplace? How do the principles of responsible AI show up when AI is accessible to everyone? What responsibility do enterprise firms have to help shape a world where this technology benefits all of us?
On this episode of The Catalyst, host Aaron Brooks meets with Robert Daigle, Director of Global AI Business at Lenovo, to unpack these and other issues surrounding the fast-moving democratization of generative AI.
Robert explains the 5 AI transformation imperatives that guide Lenovo’s responsible AI committee along with the need for enterprise leaders to work with governments to balance real innovation with responsible AI policy.
Resources mentioned:
● Responsible AI: From Managing Risk to Driving Business Value
● Responsible AI will give you a competitive advantage
Featuring: Robert Daigle, Director, Global AI Business, Lenovo
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
This episode is brought to you by Lenovo. From the pocket to the cloud, Lenovo is bringing AI to your business, so you can grow and innovate. Contact a Softchoice Sales Specialist or visit lenovo.com/ai to learn more.
Robotic exoskeletons have gotten a whole lot better.
No longer just for rehabilitation, manufacturer German Bionic is applying active exoskeleton devices to support workers in a number of ways. These wearable robotic devices work in tandem with the user, allowing them to handle a wider range of physical tasks. The result: physically-demanding jobs are now open to a wider range of candidates.
Meghan Kennelly is Head of Global Marketing at German Bionic and our guest on The Catalyst. Their active exoskeletons use motors and battery power to help with lifting, supporting the lower back and giving walking assistance. Sensors collect data to track movements, lifts, posture, and more. German Bionic has seen traction in US manufacturing sector and recently launched a healthcare exoskeleton for lifting and moving patients.
Kennelly outlines the perhaps surprising ROI on active exoskeletons, including in reduced sick days and injury claims, better insight into ergonomics and higher production output. These devices can also help address the ongoing labor shortage.
Featuring: Meghan Kennelly, Head of Global Marketing, German Bionic
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
Is a cybersecurity utopia – where no CISO lies awake at night worrying about threats known and unknown – even possible? If you believe “yes,” how do you get others to share that vision?
That’s what we discussed with Lou Senko, Chief Availability Officer at global banking technology company Q2 on this episode of The Catalyst. First and foremost, Senko doesn’t believe in leading with the fear factor. Fear, he says, only frees up some of the wallet.
He talks with host Cheryl Stookes about his strategies for improving security posture and justifying security budgets, whether you’re a small business or a major enterprise. He also outlines his personal approach to getting the most value from security investments. And, with the security talent shortage showing no signs of abating, he shares his experience recruiting against giants Tesla, Oracle and Dell in the fast-growing tech hub of Austin, Texas.
Cheryl also signs off as co-host of The Catalyst, as she takes on a new and opportunity outside Softchoice. Thank you, Cheryl. We wish you all the best with your latest chapter!
Featuring: Lou Senko, Chief Availability Officer at Q2
Resources: Read Lou Senko’s white paper Demystifying Zero Trust and learn about Q2’s community initiative Spark.
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
As a CISO, how do you know when you’re getting through to the board and the C-suite? One way is to look at the quality of the questions they ask you. Are they learning?
This is just one of the questions Kevin Magee fields a lot during “CISO therapy,” a discipline he finds himself practicing more often as Chief Security Officer at Microsoft Canada. Aside from the technology components, the thing his “clients” want to talk about most is how to build, sustain and grow those all-important executive relationships.
To conclude National Cybersecurity Awareness Month on the Catalyst, host Cheryl Stookes chats with Kevin about how CISOs can break through with boards and leadership.
He also dives into the cybersecurity skills shortage, which he names a symptom of too narrow an approach to finding candidates. Instead, he says, those seeking cybersecurity talent should look beyond the relatively small pool of technologists and consider backgrounds in psychology, criminology and law enforcement – that is, people who understand how cybercriminals think, behave and operate.
Universities and other training institutions have a part to play here, too. He discusses “reverse mentoring relationships” with younger members on the team. After all, the security leader’s job is not to be the best technical problem-solver, but to define the problem and empower others to solve it.
Featuring: Kevin Magee, Chief Security Officer, Microsoft Canada
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
This episode is brought to you by Microsoft's Workplace Security Solutions. See how Softchoice can help you get started with Zero Trust and fill every gap in your security infrastructure with Microsoft. Reach out to a Softchoice Solutions Specialist or visit softchoice.com/microsoft-zerotrust to learn about our custom workshops and services.
Is it time to pick a cybersecurity safeword? Mike Storm, Cisco Cybersecurity Distinguished Engineer and our guest on The Catalyst, thinks so. With over 30 years of cybersecurity experience, even he finds himself challenged by new AI-powered scams. Why?
The short answer: At the heart of it, humans are an easier target than computers and software, because human psychology and behaviour have been known quantities for millennia, he says.
Attackers prey on behavior wired into us by exploiting things like the “click principle,” the unconscious reflex that drives us to click on links, buttons and other shiny digital objects without a second thought.
With AI at their disposal and uninhibited by ethical, legal or regulatory concerns, these bad actors are already able to contextualize these attacks in ways that become more intimate and convincing all the time. How can “the good guys” respond?
Storm and host Aaron Brooks talk about how, in this world, everything from devices, applications, links, and infrastructure and trust is based on identity. Distributed identities will become more of an object you own, says Storm. He also sheds some light on the next phase of cybersecurity’s evolution and provides his tips for making yourself “un-hackable.”
Featuring: Mike Storm, Cybersecurity Distinguished Engineer at Cisco
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
This episode of The Catalyst is brought to you by Cisco Security Solutions. Defend against threats and safeguard the most vital aspects of your business. Reach out to a Cisco expert at Softchoice to learn more or visit softchoice.com/cisco-security-solutions.
It’s official: generative AI has permeated the culture, appearing in conversations at work, around the dinner table and yes, even over drinks with friends. With 2024 on the horizon and technology budgets due to reset, C-suite leaders and boards are talking about it, too.
So how do you take this hot topic from casual chat to enterprise strategy?
This week, Craig McQueen, VP of Digital Acceleration at Softchoice, joins hosts Cheryl and Aaron on location at their favorite watering hole to discuss why now is the time to act on GenAI implementation – and, more importantly, how to go about it.
The discussion uncovered 3 steps for adopting large language models (LLMs) in a business context. First, find your use case – a hypothesis for proving whether GenAI will solve your business problem. Next, determine the data needed and do a full security review. Then, start testing, iterating and seeking out those internal enthusiasts to help lead the change.
Featuring: Craig McQueen, Vice President of Digital Acceleration, Softchoice
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
Want to unlock the power of Gen AI in your business? See how Softchoice’s Catalyst Generative AI Workshop can help: Softchoice.com/GenAI.
Will your next new colleague be a machine? It’s no longer so far-fetched. Natural language interfaces will soon replace software UIs we’re used to with good old fashioned conversation.
That’s according to Doug Smith, GM of Solutions for Microsoft Canada.
This week on The Catalyst, he provides insights into the rapid adoption of GenAI, the hype around it, and why it matters to your business today more than ever. GenAI tools, such as Microsoft 365 Copilot, are going to make significant changes to the ways we do our jobs, augmenting human capabilities and boosting productivity.
Smith walks us through Microsoft’s view on pressing concerns about AI, from its impact on jobs to ethical ethical considerations, while reinforcing the importance of a responsible approach to AI. He also outlines his advice for leaders and boards on educating themselves and adopting GenAI into their organizations with a focus on empowering everyone involved.
Featuring: Doug Smith, General Manager of Solutions for Microsoft Canada
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
This episode of The Catalyst is brought to you by Microsoft Copilot. *Want to explore the possibilities of GenAI in your business?
Contact Softchoice today or visit Softchoice.com/genai to learn about our Genitive AI Catalyst Workshop and start harnessing the power of AI securely.*
The best sci-fi stories explore the question, “What exactly does it mean to be human in the face of evolving technology?”
As we dive headfirst into the era of generative AI, this philosophical question has taken on a new, more practical dimension. As GenAI begins to upend the ways we work, live and do business, where do humans fit in? How will it change the ways we think about ourselves?
In this episode, host Aaron Brooks explores the influences of AI on the evolution of human society with Prof. Alexander Manu of OCAD University and Mario Bourgoin, AI Specialist at AWS. The discussion ranges from the intersection of AI with art, creativity and more with practical advice as to how we ordinary humans can get ready for the changes to come.
Featuring: Prof. Alexander Manu, acclaimed author and philosopher and Mario Bourgoin, AI Specialist from Amazon Web Services
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining light on the human side of technology.
Support our sponsor: This episode was sponsored by AWS and Softchoice’s Lift and Shift cloud migration solution. Take full advantage of the cloud– and leave no opportunity untapped – with our seamless, guided services. Visit softchoice.com/awsmigration to get started today.
See the images: Watch this conversation in video and see Prof. Manu’s AI-generate images on the blog: softchoice.com/blogs
Books referenced in the episode:
Mechanization Takes Command by Siegfried Leon
Technics and Civilization by Lewis Mumford
The Philosophy of Disruption by Alexander Manu
“Upskill or fall behind.” That’s the message to millions of workers facing sweeping changes in technology and a generous helping of economic uncertainty. Okay, but upskill in what, exactly?
In this episode, host Cheryl Stookes meets with Kian Katanforoosh, the CEO and Co-founder of Workera. This California company’s platform uses AI to produce accurate and unbiased skills assessments. From there, it matches workers with the right training plans and materials to meet personal career goals, close organizational skills gaps and get more out of investments in training content.
Cheryl and Kian also explore what big advances in automation may mean for workers, what it will take to find staying power in the future and where AI can help rather than hurt. Kian also shares his thoughts on the continuing importance of mentorship and the need for leaders to be proactive in finding skills gaps to stay ready for change.
Featuring: Kian Katanforoosh, CEO and Co-founder of Workera
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Did you always want to do what you do? Or did your grades and test scores suggest you’d be good at it?
The 2020s are quickly being characterized by astonishing leaps in technology. Meanwhile, our education systems have remained anchored in 19th-century thinking. Rooted in standardized, one-size-fits-all models, the way we engage, develop and measure success for students is about to undergo a profound change thanks to, you guessed it, artificial intelligence.
In this episode of The Catalyst, our host Aaron meets with Dr. David Vroonland, the executive director of LEARN, the Learning Environments Action Resource Network, and a consultant to the education sector with Softchoice. They explore a new approach to education that uses AI models to create personalized, self-guided learning paths for students, tailored to their demonstrated passions and interests, rather than aptitude alone.
Dr. Vroonland believes it’s poised to reshape the way we teach and learn for good.
Featuring: Dr. David Vroonland, Executive Director of LEARN and a consultant with Softchoice.
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Our data is in danger.
It’s in danger from cybercriminals and malicious state actors. It’s in danger from more frequent and devastating natural disasters. It’s in danger from gaps and oversights in security posture. It’s in danger from people inside our organizations, whether they mean well or otherwise.
It takes heroic efforts from IT teams to prevent the worst outcomes. But who are the people making a difference behind the scenes? How do we find more of them?
This week on The Catalyst, Cheryl meets Terence Gleeson, Senior Director of VMware Cloud on AWS. The topic: the smart, talented (and hard-to-find) people who protect our data when and where it matters most. Gleeson shares some inspiring examples, including that of the IT team at one of Ukraine’s largest retailers, who established data recovery capabilities in the middle of a war. He also lets us in on his advice for finding your IT heroes, the right way to recover from ransomware and how AI is adding new stakes to the cybersecurity conversation.
Featuring: Terence Gleeson, Senior Director of VMware Cloud on AWS
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
This episode of The Catalyst is brought to you by VMware Cloud. Contact Softchoice and discover how VMware Cloud and Softchoice can be your partners in creating a seamless any cloud experience. Visit softchoice.com/vmc to get started today.
Have you ever wondered how the products you use make their way across the world to reach you? The answer is industry ecosystems, intricate webs of people, processes and technology that connect our world and economy behind the scenes. In this episode of The Catalyst, we unravel the concept of industry ecosystems with guest John Comacchio, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Teknion, a future-focused office furniture manufacturer.
From new supply chain hurdles to sustainability imperatives and changing definitions of “the workplace,” we explore how Teknion has rethought its approach. Get a deeper look into the hidden machinery behind the global economy and the extraordinary minds moving it forward.
Featuring: John Comacchio, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Teknion
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of technology.
The global semiconductor shortage, triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, set off a cascading set of challenges. The resulting disruption made it harder than ever to get electronic components and products to where they were needed, leaving consumers, businesses and other organizations in the lurch. Compounding the issue: heavy reliance on semiconductor production in Asia, mainly Taiwan. As uncertainty continues to define the 2020s and geopolitical tensions rise, how can we apply what we’ve learned to prevent another crisis? In this episode of The Catalyst by Softchoice, host Cheryl Stookes joins Phil Vokins, Director of Channels, ISVs and Cloud at Intel. Drawing on his deep experience in the semiconductor industry, Vokins dives deep into the coordinated efforts, strategic investments and sustainable approaches by business and government to address the recent shortage and gird against future disruptions.
Featuring: Phil Vokins, Director of Channels, ISVs and Cloud at Intel
The Catalyst is the podcast shining a light on the human side of technology.
This episode was brought to you by the Intel vPro platform, delivering unmatched performance and comprehensive security right to your fingertips. See how Softchoice can help you unlock the full potential of your hybrid workspace with Intel vPro today.
Decarbonizing our energy grid will take a lot more than adopting alternative power sources. That’s the founding principle behind Recurve, a company on a mission to speed the transition to a carbon-free economy, while making the already fragile energy grid more reliable. Aaron meets with Recurve CEO Matt Golden to discuss why decarbonizing the grid calls for a new approach to flexible demand, through what Recurve calls “virtual power plants.”
The discussion highlights the importance of demand-side flexibility and load balancing, the complexities of modernizing a grid, and how Google Cloud is making Recurve's mission possible.
Golden is a recognized thought leader in the energy efficiency industry. Whether testifying before Congress or auditing Ellen DeGeneres’ house, Matt has been spreading the word about energy efficiency for years. An entrepreneur, policy advocate and efficiency agitator, Matt is committed to bringing demand flexibility in the built environment to scale as a grid and climate resource. He has made presentations on emerging demand flexibility markets to the US Senate, at COP 21 and to the UK Parliament.
Featuring: Matt Golden, Founder and CEO of Recurve
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of technology.
This episode is brought to you by Google Cloud.
Speak to Softchoice today to see how we can help you use Google cloud to break down silos, unlock new insights and power innovation.
You’ve heard of AI applications for all kinds of things, from virtual assistants to super-powered medical research and even voice analysis. But AI-powered window washing? In this episode, Cheryl Stookes meets with Michael Brown, chairman and CEO of Skyline Robotics – the company behind the world's first ever robotic-armed window cleaner.
Cheryl and Michael discuss the technology behind OZMO and how it combines lidar and artificial intelligence to transform the window cleaning industry. They also dive into the potential for AI and automation to affect labor markets and change the game around workplace safety within the 3 ‘Ds’ – dirty, dull and dangerous – jobs.
Michael also shares insights on the importance of responsible and ethical development of AI technologies and the company's role in shaping the future of the building maintenance industry.
Featuring: Michael Brown, Chairman and CEO of Skyline Robotics.
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of technology.
Leveling up your day-to-day operations may not sound like the most exciting innovation project but let them slip and you’ve lost your customer, possibly for good. In this episode, co-host Aaron Brooks meets with Tommy Yionoulis, CEO and co-founder of OpsAnalitica, an operations management platform designed to help businesses be more efficient (and profitable) through process accountability and data.
Tommy believes the biggest innovation opportunity for businesses isn’t about the shiniest new tech. It’s about efficiency, consistency and “the mighty check list.” He goes on to share what he sees shaping the future of work and how the winners will triumph through better, more consistent daily operations.
Featuring: Tommy Yionoulis, CEO and co-founder of OpsAnalitica
The Catalyst by Softchoice is a podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
Recessions make business growth challenging – but not impossible. On this episode of The Catalyst by Softchoice, Jason Brommet, Head of Modern Work and Security at Microsoft, returns to the podcast to lay out 3 strategies to help businesses thrive during an economic downturn. From engaging people to closing skills gaps and making things simpler using new AI tools, learn what you need to succeed at doing more with less. Together Cheryl and Jason compare today's situation with the Great Recession of 2008, debate whether the pandemic gave technology leaders a head start, and look into the potential of AI tools, including Microsoft 365 Copilot.
Featuring:
Jason Brommet, Head of Modern Work and Security for Microsoft North America.
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of technology.
This episode of The Catalyst by Softchoice is sponsored by Microsoft 365. See how Softchoice and Microsoft, together, can help your business Do More With Less: https://www.softchoice.com/m365
With Earth Day 2023 just around the corner, new co-host Cheryl Stookes meets with Anureet Kaur, Softchoice’s Sustainability Manager. They discuss what goes into creating an effective ESG strategy – one that aligns environmental and social impact with your business’ bottom line. They also delve into the challenges of reporting on ESG initiatives, a relatively new set of obstacles that many businesses are now facing in today’s economic climate.
Anureet is a Toronto-based sustainability professional, climate policy researcher, public speaker and college professor. Since 2019, Anureet has been a Professor at Seneca College's Sustainable Business Management Program, where she teaches responsible leadership, social impact and climate justice. She continues to advocate for Canada's equitable, low-carbon economy and the inclusion of Indigenous voices in climate and energy strategy as a path to true reconciliation.
Featuring: Anureet Kaur, Sustainability Manager at Softchoice
Special thanks to Angela Cope, Areej Shah, Cheryl Castator and Magdalena Dabbour for sharing their personal insights on living more sustainably.
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of technology.
Welcome to Season 5 of The Catalyst.
In this episode, new co-host Aaron Brooks meets with Sean Austin, CEO and co-founder of Helios, a company pioneering the new field of speech analytics through a voice tone intelligence technology. Helios’ groundbreaking “tonal analysis” application can identify changes in tone, pitch and other vocal characteristics that indicate the speaker's emotional state, attitude and even their level of confidence.
While today Helios is marketing itself to Wall Street, its potential use cases are endless. Aaron and Sean discuss the possibilities for businesses to use tonal analysis to gain deeper insights into customer needs and improve customer service, sales and even employee morale and satisfaction. At the same time, they explore the ethical implications of creating a modern, AI-powered “lie detector.”
Featuring: Sean Austin, CEO and co-founder of Helios
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
From Chat GPT to a looming economic crisis, business leaders everywhere are living through turbulent times. Thankfully, The Catalyst by Softchoice is back with our biggest and most ambitious season ever.
In Season 5, we’ll continue to search for answers across 19 new episodes, exploring the intersection of people and technology. And we’ll be doing it all with the help of two new co-hosts.
Introducing Cheryl Stookes, Vice President of Revenue Growth and Marketing at Softchoice and Aaron Brooks, Vice President of Customer Strategy and Solution Sales at Softchoice. They will bring a fresh perspective to the dialogue, while digging into the biggest trends and topics facing senior business leaders.
In 2023, organizations are facing heavy challenges: an exhausted workforce, growing supply chain pressures, rising inflation and a hyper-competitive talent landscape. In this bonus Season 4 episode, Erika meets with Indeed Canada’s Michelle Slater to talk about the era of quiet quitting and rage applying, and why it’s crucial for organizations to pay attention to emerging future of work trends in order to set strategic talent goals for long-term success.
Erika also bids farewell to listeners, as she introduces Season 5’s new co-hosts, Softchoice’s Aaron Brooks and Cheryl Stookes.
Featuring: Michelle Slater, Director of Country Marketing Canada at Indeed
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
A global pandemic, an ongoing supply chain crisis, a growing skills gap and a concerning labor shortage. The time for transformational businesses to build a more resilient future is now. What are the biggest lessons of the last few years – and how can we better prepare for what’s to come in 2023? Erika meets with the Chief Operating Officer at Softchoice, Andrew Caprara, to discuss how IT leaders can tackle the challenges ahead strategically and collaboratively, while driving growth.
Featuring: Andrew Caprara – Chief Operating Officer, Softchoice
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
The July 9th Rogers telecommunications outage left millions of people and businesses without cell phone or internet service, which in some cases lasted for days. In a world dependent on its digital telecommunications network – how do you prepare for the worst? Erika meets with Softchoice’s Vice President of Business Technologies, Al Lakhani, to discuss the impact of the July 9th Rogers service outage, and what digital leaders can do to be more resilient and better prepared for worst-case scenarios.
Featuring: Al Lakhani – Vice President of Business Technologies at Softchoice
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
We all know the best offense is a strong defense – and that’s as true for cybersecurity as it is for football. For all the attention we devote to cybersecurity, it’s a wonder that one essential tool can make all the difference...cyberinsurance. Erika meets with Softchoice’s Director of Security, Matt Sirbu, to discuss the best practices and policies for businesses to stay afloat in a digital era and keep their bottom lines safe.
Featuring: Matt Sirbu – Director of Security at Softchoice
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
The Catalyst Listener Contest Has Begun!
We’re giving away 10 Amazon gift cards to subscribers between now and the end of October. Taking part is as easy as subscribing and leaving us a review. Find out more and see full contest rules at: https://www.softchoice.com/thecatalyst/contest
Technology leaders need to constantly communicate about complex, nuanced topics – and get people to act on those insights. So, what’s the best way to do it? The answer for Google’s Chief Content Officer, Priyanka Vergadia, lies in visual storytelling. Erika meets with Priyanka – better known as “Cloud Girl” to her online followers – to discuss the beauty and benefits of technical storytelling, female leadership in tech and getting creative with cloud computing.
Featuring: Priyanka Vergadia – Chief Content Officer Google.
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
This episode of the Catalyst is brought to you by Google Cloud Next -- a free, global hybrid event taking place live from October 11 to 13, 2022, and always available online. Learn more about the streamed broadcasts, on-demand digital content and in-person events to connect with Google Cloud experts. Visit cloud.withgoogle.com/next.
With the pandemic (mostly) behind us, organizations are struggling to shape their return to office policies. For Microsoft’s Head of Modern Work and Security Business, Jason Brommet, the answer is a no-brainer – the future of work is hybrid and there’s no going back. Erika meets with Jason to discuss how organizations can plan for a future-focused work environment. They explore ways to define the employee experience in a hybrid era and the three tenants that lie at the heart of this exercise.
Featuring: Jason Brommet – Head of Modern Work and Security Business at Microsoft.Special thanks to Softchoice’s Karly Pierce and Craig Smith for sharing their thoughts.
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
This episode of the Catalyst is brought to you by Microsoft Viva. Download our new e-book “An Introduction to Microsoft Viva” today.
Blockchain isn’t just about crypto gains and trading NFTs. Aside from endless industrial use cases, you can now use it to invest in the world’s finest wine. Erika meets with Corey Parkinson, the Global Head of Product of Cult Wines, to talk about how his organization is innovating and democratizing the fine wine trade through blockchain technology. Plus, Corey shares insights on how to make the most of Cult Wines new trading app.
Featuring: Corey Parkinson, Global Head of Product at Cult Wines.Special thanks to the Pilgrim production team for sharing their thoughts.
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
How will the metaverse transform modern business? And how can companies seize this virtual opportunity? Medha Parlikar, co-founder and CTO of CasperLabs, joins Erika to explore how IT leaders can leverage the metaverse with real-world applications. Mehda reviews the pros and cons of engaging in a virtual world and explains how a 3D version of the internet will create the most immersive user experience yet.
Featuring: Medha Parlikar, Co-Founder and CTO at CasperLabs.Special thanks to Softchoice and the Pilgrim production team for sharing their thoughts.
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
While on vacation last Spring, Erika caught COVID-19. When her symptoms went from bad to worse, she decided to head to her local hospital, where she was treated and monitored using their highly innovative, digital post care program. On this episode of The Catalyst, Erika speaks to the Director of Community Partnerships at Southlake Regional Health Centre, Gayle Seddon, and the VP of Strategy, Analytics and Communications, Tyler Chalk, to discuss the integrative and collaborate approach they used to create their highly regarded – and transformative – COVID at Home Program.
Featuring: Gayle Seddon, Director of Community Partnerships at Southlake Regional Health Centre and Tyler Chalk, VP Strategy, Analytics and Communications at Southlake Regional Health Centre. Special thanks to Softchoice’s Nicole Francis and the Pilgrim Production Team for lending their thoughts.
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
How do we start to close the ever-widening IT skills gap? In the second of this two-part series, Erika meets with technologist Shauna Begley to talk about the importance of digital literacy as a way to create a more robust and adaptable future of work. Shauna also shares valuable insight on how companies can encourage employees to “learn as they earn.”
Featuring: Shauna Begley, faculty member at the British Columbia Institute of Technology and co-founder of Modern Work. Special thanks to Softchoice’s Ashley Arruda for sharing her thoughts.
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
This episode is sponsored by The Design Studio at Softchoice. Visit www.softchoice.com/solutions/consulting-and-complex-solutions/digital-acceleration to learn more
The IT skills gap is bad – and it’s only getting worse. The good news is there’s still plenty you can do about it. In the first of this two-part series, Erika meets with AWS’ Brian Graf to share some tips to train and retain talent in our highly-competitive industry. You’ll also find out how companies of all sizes can encourage innovation in order to bridge the cloud skills gap.
Featuring: Brian Graf, Senior Partner Solutions Architect at AWS.
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
This episode is sponsored by VMware Cloud for AWS. Visit softchoice.com/asksoftchoice to learn about our fully funded Cloud Readiness Review.
From dial up to high-speed connectivity, the Internet has come a long way in shaping and shifting how we connect with people and business.
Host Erika Van Noort meets with Softchoice’s Vice President of Digital Acceleration Craig McQueen to discuss the internet’s next big wave: Web3. He explains what exactly Web3 will entail, how it differs from Web 1.0 and 2.0, and why IT leaders need to be paying attention to this budding tech. Plus, Craig shares key use cases for Web3 and gives practical tips for how anyone can get involved.
Featuring:
Craig McQueen, Vice President of Digital Acceleration at Softchoice
Special thanks to Softchoice voices, Makenzie Wiwchar and Evan Wee, for lending their honest thoughts!The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Is it really time to get rid of the IT department? According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, it may just be. In this episode, Erika Van Noort sits down to discuss a 2021 article where the author warns that our traditional concept of the IT department and the way it’s set up is not only outdated, but it’s also putting the way we grow business and drive innovation at risk. For a deeper look at whether it’s really time for IT leaders to ditch their self-titled department, Erika welcomes Chris Woodin, VP of the Cloud Business Unit at Softchoice, along with Jeff Reis, Senior VP of Information Technology & Workplace. In a roundtable discussion, they dive into how we can create more value for organizations by integrating the IT function into core planning processes.
The path forward is going to come down to a lot of teamwork, a lot of vision, and a lot of groundbreaking technical transformation.
Featuring:
Chris Woodin, VP of the Cloud Business Unit at Softchoice
Jeff Reis, Senior VP of IT & Workplace at Softchoice
Special thanks to the Catalyst production team for voicing the comments on the article.The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
In this episode, Erika Van Noort welcomes Oguo Atuanya, General Manager of Global Scale and Global Partner Solutions at Microsoft. As a Senior Executive leading Microsoft’s global cloud scale services, Oguo weaves together a mixed cultural background from his education in three different continents and passion for democratization in technology. He talks about how the Microsoft workforce is more diverse than it’s ever been, and how the new generation of employees is making it a priority to work for a company that shares their values. Oguo also discusses the real concrete DEI efforts underway at Microsoft to move us from tokenism to transformation. His unique personal story and passion for mentorship and making a difference, will inspire you in your own journey.
Featuring:
Oguo Atuanya, General Manager of Global Scale and Global Partner Solutions at Microsoft
Special thanks to Softchoice voices Houman Aryan and Karly Pierce for lending their thoughts!The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
This episode is brought to you by Microsoft – a proud leader when it comes to diversity and inclusion. To start building your cloud and workplace strategy with an organization that’s committed to making the world a better place to live and work, visit Softchoice.com/Microsoft to learn more.
In this episode, fill-in host Nicole Francis steps in and meets with Softchoice’s Jeffersen Sylvia to discuss how Russia and Ukraine are using cybersecurity in this modern-day war – and why businesses and IT leaders in North America should take note. Jeffersen takes us through his journey to cybersecurity as an enterprise architect and how the traditional way of thinking about security has shifted, both in the physical sense and from a mindset perspective. Jeffersen talks about how ransomware has become a huge issue over the last several years, how teams have to work together to be effective, and his 10-Point Plan to address and strengthen your weakest links.
Featuring:
Jeffersen Sylvia, Principal Enterprise Architect for Security in the Design Studio at Softchoice
Special thanks to Softchoice voices, Andrea Knoblauch and Shawn Dickson, for lending their honest thoughts!
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Just in time for Earth Day, we’re launching Season 4 of The Catalyst by Softchoice with a look at why the world’s biggest innovators are putting sustainability first.
Erika Van Noort meets VMware’s Nicola Peill-Moelter and Google’s Trinity Lloyd to discuss the growing need for green technology. From new regulatory burdens to an increasing sense of urgency, corporate responsibility is something today’s CIO can’t ignore. We also discover some of the incredible ways Google and VMware are driving sustainability through technological innovation, with a focus on hybrid cloud, big data, artificial intelligence and strategic partnerships.
Featuring:
Trinity Lloyd, Sustainability and Energy Transition Lead at Google
Nicola Peill-Moelter, Director, Sustainability Innovation at VMware
Special thanks to Softchoice voices, Cole Pascua, Ryan Landreville, and Matt Sherman, for lending their honest thoughts!This episode of the Catalyst is brought to you by Google Cloud and VMware. See how you can move to more sustainable cloud computing, using the tools you already know and trust. Visit www.softchoice.com/gcve to learn more.
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
The Catalyst podcast first launched way back in the first wave of the pandemic. And as we enter our fourth season, we’re keenly aware this is a very different world than the one we started out in.
With host Erika Van Noort at the helm, we speak to the business leaders who are helping drive some amazing change across industries and exploring why this might just be the most exciting time to be in IT – and the most challenging.
This season, we’re exploring digital transformation from all sides, offering insight into the greatest changes just over the horizon, but also the real-life people that will be impacted by it all.
We’re bringing you stories like: How sustainability is fast becoming a key and necessary feature of every business strategy, what your cybersecurity team needs to do in the face of encroaching international digital threats, and how effective global strategies for cloud and beyond can be buoyed by Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) as core pillars – and that’s just the first 3 episodes!
Season 4 premieres on April 20th, 2022 with our biggest season ever of 15 new episodes dropping every two weeks after that.
The Catalyst is an original podcast from Softchoice and Pilgrim Content.
For more on Softchoice, go to http://www.softchoice.com/
There’s no shortage of disheartening statistics when it comes to women in STEM. But there’s also a new wave of opportunities, momentum and interest coming from young women, looking to grow a career. So, where’s the disconnect?
For our Season 3 finale, Dawn Armstrong, Head of IT and Mission Operations at ABL Space Systems, joins Erika to explore the inspiring ways she’s grown her career in STEM, the exciting technology she and her teams are building, and how she’s built a leadership style so efficient she scaled herself out of a job. They take a hard look at how organizations can stop contributing to the gender gap in the technology industry.
Featuring:
Dawn Armstrong, Head of IT and Mission Operations at ABL Space Systems
Special thanks to Softchoice voices, Karen Ybanez and Marlowe Woo, for lending their honest thoughts!
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Are you a leader in the IT space? Read more on Softchoice’s Innovation Executive Forum, an exclusive, members-only community of over 400 senior IT leaders across North America.
There is a lot of innovation happening in the sports entertainment space. One of the ways sports fans love to engage is through sports betting, and the sports betting space in the US alone has quadrupled in the last 3 year! So, why now and what exactly is being disrupted?
Omer Dor, CEO at Sports IQ Analytics, joins Erika to discuss how his company has innovated a static industry using amazing, cloud-powered technology and a constant focus on the fan experience first.
Featuring:
Omer Dor, CEO at Sports IQ Analytics
Special thanks to Softchoice voices, Filipe Dimas and David O’Donovan, for lending their honest thoughts!
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
In the last two years, organizations have moved over to a remote and hybrid workplace structure faster than they ever could have imagined. Now, companies are seeing that many of their people are struggling with longer work days and less work/life balance. But despite all the downsides, studies and surveys suggestthat most people stillprefer to work from home, or at least like having that option.
So, how do we create a hybrid environment that fosters “good remote” practices, and gets rid of the bad?
In this episode, Erika Van Noort is joined by Softchoice’s Christine Irving and Craig Smith to explore the technology and business processes that could help address these new challenges in the workplace, and the impact they can have on your employees – and the bottom line.
Featuring:
Craig Smith, Vice President, Workplace at Softchoice
Christine Irving, Principal, Design Studio at Softchoice
Special thanks to Softchoice voices, Tara Brydges, Karly Pierce and Renee Bradford for lending their honest thoughts!
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Are you a leader in the IT space? Read more on Softchoice’s Innovation Executive Forum, an exclusive, members-only community of over 400 senior IT leaders across North America.
Over the last two years, we’ve adjusted to a digital life. But our daily life has also become a lot lonelier because of it, and people don’t want to do everything from home.
In this episode, Erika Van Noort is joined by Kyle Gibson, Co-founder and CEO of the Canadian spin studio, Wheelhouse Cycle Club, to expand the conversation around hybrid models to more than our professional lives. When the pandemic hit, Wheelhouse made a massive pivot and took their thriving, in-person spin community to a digital fitness model. Now, Kyle is building on that approach for a future that provides the same, interactive experience for fitness fanatics whether they’re at home or in studio.
Featuring:
Kyle Gibson, Co-founder and CEO at Wheelhouse Cycle Club
Special thanks to Softchoice voices, Marie Rodgers and Megan Northey, for lending their honest thoughts!
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Are you a leader in the IT space? Read more on Softchoice’s Innovation Executive Forum, an exclusive, members-only community of over 400 senior IT leaders across North America.
From rooting out government corruption to taking down some of the world’s worst criminals, hacktivists often say they are motivated by the greater good. But the legality of their methods – and the outcomes they deliver – aren’t always so black and white.
Erika dives into the fascinating world of white-hat hackers, OpSec Groups and all the moral questions and curiosities in between, with Crowdstrike Canada’s Stephane Asselin, senior sales engineer manager. Find out who these hacktivists are, how they operate and whether they are helping the professionals, like Stephane, get a better night’s sleep.
Featuring:
Stephane Asselin, Senior Sales Engineer Manager - Crowdstrike Canada
Special thanks to Sushma Shankar, Filipe Dimas, Areej Shah and Harriet Han for lending their honest thoughts!
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Are you a leader in the IT space? Read more on Softchoice’s Innovation Executive Forum, an exclusive, members-only community of over 400 senior IT leaders across North America.
There are currently trillions of dollars' worth of government funding in the US being processed every day through cities, counties and states, all aimed at bettering the communities who need it. But the reality is that despite the best intentions, all the administrative work needed to actually roll out that funding is slowing everything down.
That means that government funding is not going to where it's supposed to. So, is there anything anyone can do about it?
In this episode, Erika Van Noort is joined by Chris Behm, Founder and COO at Atlanta based, Neighborly Software, to discuss how his company’s cloud-based software solution is improving administrative efficiency and regulatory compliance of Housing, Economic and Community Development programs. And the impact this technology is having in the communities it serves.
Featuring:
Chris Behm, COO and Co-Founder at Neighborly Software
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Are you a leader in the IT space? Read more on Softchoice’s Innovation Executive Forum, an exclusive, members-only community of over 400 senior IT leaders across North America.
The demands to move to the cloud faster are increasing as IT leaders face growing pressure to address mounting operational and business challenges. Now, they’re looking across the entirety of their infrastructure with a new lens and a push to challenge the status quo.
However, skills developed in the traditional data center or private cloud environment don’t translate easily to public cloud infrastructure - so what do IT leaders do now?
In this episode, Erika is joined by Claude Reeves, Vice President & Country Manager at VMware Canada and Christopher Woodin, Vice President, Cloud Business Unit at Softchoice, to explore the landscape of IT teams tackling public cloud, and to look at real-world examples of organizations facing various challenges and have ultimately benefited in their move to public cloud.
Featuring:
Claude Reeves, Vice President & Country Manager at VMware Canada
Christopher Woodin, Vice President, Cloud Business Unit at Softchoice
Special thanks to Jeff Reis, Lester Moniz and Doug Fisher for lending their honest thoughts!
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Are you a leader in the IT space? Read more on Softchoice’s Innovation Executive Forum, an exclusive, members-only community of over 400 senior IT leaders across North America.
Only 24% of households in Indigenous communities across Canada have access to modern, highspeed Internet, which means students in these places aren’t getting the same new digital learning experiences as kids throughout the most of the country. Now, a program called Connected North is aiming to change all of that.
In this episode, Michael Furdyk joins Erika Van Noort to discuss how Connected North is using two-way telepresence video technology to enhance the classroom experience in Indigenous Communities - through physical technology and interactive software specifically designed for remote access. Best of all, it’s leading to lower dropout rates and more empowerment for First Nations students in school and life.
Featuring:
Michael Furdyk, Director of Innovation at TakingITGlobal
Special thanks to Rebecca Martinez, Karen Buttigieg and Cheryl Stookes for lending their honest thoughts!
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Are you a leader in the IT space? Read more on Softchoice’s Innovation Executive Forum, an exclusive, members-only community of over 400 senior IT leaders across North America.
The nature of ransomware attacks is evolving to a level of viciousness that impacts humanity as we know it. While the end game is typically money, today ransomware attacks threaten people’s lives and our world. Ransomware has become a service and an industry. So, what can we do about it?
In this episode, Andrea Knoblauch joins Erika Van Noort to share the big picture on the ransomware landscape and inspire you to swap a reactive approach to ransomware and move toward a new, cloud-forward, industry-wide protection initiative.
Featuring:
Andrea Knoblauch, Technical Security Architect at Softchoice
Special thanks to Tara Brydges, Chris Vassallo and Greg Rainbird for lending their honest thoughts to the podcast!
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Are you a leader in the IT space? Read more on Softchoice’s Innovation Executive Forum, an exclusive, members-only community of over 400 senior IT leaders across North America.
Legacy education systems in the US have not changed in 100 years, and now we’re seeing a fresh perspective on education from one school district in Mesquite, Texas.
In this episode, Erika Van Noort is joined by Dr. David Vroonland and Softchoice’s Ron Espinosa, who are at the center of it all. They’re working with Google and SoftServe to create “AYO”: a program where a student’s aptitude and passion is mapped using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to create a “tailored learning” experience for each student.
Now, Mesquite Independent School District envisions this program being applied in other schools and districts across the US and even North America - and completely changing how our future leaders and change makers are being shaped.
Featuring:
Dr. David Vroonland, Superintendent at Mesquite Independent School District
Ron Espinosa, Specialty Sales Executive, Google Cloud, Softchoice
Special appearances by:
Jessica Schmidt, Associate Podcast Producer
Nicole Francis, Senior Manager, Content Operations
Kattie Laur, Podcast Producer
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Are you a leader in the IT space? Read more on Softchoice’s Innovation Executive Forum, an exclusive, members-only community of over 400 senior IT leaders across North America.
The new normal is here, and that means the gap between humanity and technology is quickly disappearing.
While the pandemic was a catalyst for tech innovations making record speed, it doesn’t seem like things are slowing down any time soon. Tech leaders of the 2020’s across all industries and sectors are still busy, shaping our future and our world as we know it.
This season, we’re exploring digital transformation and talking to tech leaders who are inspired by people. We’re looking ahead at what the strengthening relationship between people and technology means for cloud innovation, cybersecurity risks, the workplace of the future, and diversity & disruption - key themes that we see shaping our future.
Join host Erika Van Noort for the Season 3 premiere on September 22nd, 2021. New episodes every two weeks after that!
The Catalyst is an original podcast from Softchoice and Pilgrim Content.
For more on Softchoice, go to http://www.softchoice.com/
The pandemic caused a major change to retail tech and the customer experience, from eCommerce, to in-store, to mobile apps. In this episode Erika is joined by retail veteran, Michael LeBlanc, to unpack how these changes worked out. What is the future of retail going to look like, post-pandemic?
Featuring:
Michael LeBlanc, Founder, Strategic Advisor, Keynote Speaker and Host at the Remarkable Retail Podcast
Special appearances by:
Noureddine Talmoudi, Solution Marketing Manager for Workplace at Softchoice
Alison Clarey, Senior Manager Integrated Go to Market at Softchoice
Brandon Ram, Director of Talent Acquistion and Candidate Experience at Softchoice
Braeden Banks, Content Production Lead at Softchoice
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Are you a leader in the IT space? Read more on Softchoice’s Innovation Executive Forum, an exclusive, members-only community of over 400 senior IT leaders across North America.
Recently we've been hearing the same story from Softchoice customers: they’re concerned about how to prepare their people for the journey back to the office. Today, “the office” is a tool among other workplace tools – and we need to reimagine how that space is best used .
In this episode, Softchoice colleagues, Jeff Gwinnett and David Erlich, join Erika Van Noort to get the insider scoop on the types of barriers that organizations are facing as they prepare for the return to the office and what the future looks like for how we use office space in the digital age. How do we go digital while maintaining an inclusive work culture?
Featuring:
Jeff Gwinnett, Director of Workplace at Softchoice
David Erlich, District Sales Leader at Softchoice
Special thanks to: Michelle, Katey, Stephanie and Chris for sharing your thoughts.
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Are you a leader in the IT space? Read more on Softchoice’s Innovation Executive Forum, an exclusive, members-only community of over 400 senior IT leaders across North America.
The shift to digital collaboration in the workplace hasn’t just impacted regular office-goers – it changed the game for frontline healthcare workers, too. Katie Poolton, Product Marketing Manager at Microsoft is one of the people guiding the healthcare industry through this massive change, and joins Erika Van Noort to discuss how the pandemic helped radically evolve digital healthcare collaboration and the patient experience.
Featuring:
Katie Poolton, Product Marketing Manager at Microsoft
Special appearances by:
Noureddine Talmoudi, Solution Marketing Manager for Workplace at Softchoice
Alison Clarey, Senior Manager Integrated Go to Market at Softchoice
Brandon Ram, Director of Talent Acquistion and Candidate Experience at Softchoice
Braeden Banks, Content Production Lead at Softchoice
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Are you a leader in the IT space? Read more on Softchoice’s Innovation Executive Forum, an exclusive, members-only community of over 400 senior IT leaders across North America.
In order to power the major shift to the remote workplace, enterprises drastically changed the tools and applications we use to get work done - and faster than they ever anticipated! As a result, organizations are now dealing with employee burnout and overheating laptops filled with apps wondering where they went wrong.
Luisa Colmenares, Director of Workplace Innovation at Softchoice joins Erika Van Noort to examine the gaps, learning curves and challenges created by the rush to evolve, and share some advice about how to get the most out of the new remote everything world.
Featuring:
Luisa Colmenares, Director, Workplace Innovation at Softchoice
Special appearances by:
Braeden Banks, Content Production Lead at Softchoice
Noureddine Talmoudi, Solution Marketing Manager for Workplace at Softchoice
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Are you a leader in the IT space? Read more on Softchoice’s Innovation Executive Forum, an exclusive, members-only community of over 400 senior IT leaders across North America.
The pandemic might have accelerated the journey to Cloud – but it hasn’t made the road there any less bumpy. We speak to Craig McQueen about the pitfalls – new and old – of cloud migration, and the amazing value and innovation you can unlock with a well-executed cloud strategy.
Featuring:
Craig McQueen, Vice President of Innovation at Softchoice
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Are you a leader in the IT space? Read more on Softchoice’s Innovation Executive Forum, an exclusive, members-only community of over 400 senior IT leaders across North America.
The tech sector has an important role to play in the efforts toward an inclusive and equitable world for all, giving us a unique opportunity to re-evaluate what “innovation” truly means. In this episode, we meet up with Cisco Canada’s President Shannon Leininger to discuss how the world of DE&I has evolved in the technology industry and how IT leaders can amplify Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to succeed.
Featuring:
Shannon Leininger, President, Cisco Canada
Special appearance by:
Robbin Simpkins, Senior Manager of Services Improvement at Softchoice
Soraya Mohamed, Cloud Advisor for VMware at Softchoice
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Are you a leader in the IT space? Read more on Softchoice’s Innovation Executive Forum, an exclusive, members-only community of over 400 senior IT leaders across North America.
A few episodes ago, we talked to David Kennedy about the new obstacles that IT leaders are facing - as cybersecurity threats get more advanced and even more dangerous. But there was a lot more to this conversation that we had to unpack.
Why are employees and people still the weakest link? What part of security awareness training isn’t sticking?
Erika Van Noort meets up with Sharyl Givens, Chief Human Resources Officer at Proofpoint to unpack the tangible steps you can use to protect your people and your company. It’s time to turn your weakest links into your strongest assets.
Featuring:
Sharyl Givens, Chief Human resources Officer at Proofpoint
Special appearance by:
Molly Moreash, Commercial Account Sales Leader at Softchoice
Robbin Simpkins, Senior Manager of Services Improvement at Softchoice
Soraya Mohamed, Cloud Advisor for V.M Ware at Softchoice
Sabina Beckman, Territory Sales Account Executive at Softchoice
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Are you a leader in the IT space? Read more on Softchoice’s Innovation Executive Forum, an exclusive, members-only community of over 400 senior IT leaders across North America.
The major shift to a digital world over the last year created innovations and mindset changes that people with disabilities have been waiting on for years. Today, our values and dollars have never been more connected, and that means that organizations that are prioritizing accessibility are seeing some big benefits!
So how important is accessibility to both your culture and bottom line? Ricardo Wagner, Accessibility Lead at Microsoft joins Erika Van Noort to discuss how the shifts to an accessible workplace and customer experience is imperative to the future and success of an organization.
Featuring:
Ricardo Wagner, Microsoft Accessibility Lead
Special appearance by:
Sabina Beckman, Territory Sales Account Executive and Co-Chair of the AccessAbility ERG at Softchoice
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Are you a leader in the IT space? Read more on Softchoice’s Innovation Executive Forum, an exclusive, members-only community of over 400 senior IT leaders across North America.
The year 2020 was one of many turning points in the IT industry, so when it comes to cybersecurity, you’d hope there were some silver linings, right? Well, we might have some bad news.
In the year since the global pandemic hit, hackers have gotten more sophisticated and dangerous. In this episode, David Kennedy, renowned cybersecurity leader and best-selling author, returns to the podcast to take a look at the major SolarWinds attack, the new obstacles for IT and best practices for securing your people, data and customer relationships.
Featuring:
David Kennedy, co-founder at Binary Defense and Trusted Sec
Special appearances by:
Rebecca Martinez, Senior Enterprise Account Leader, Softchoice
Ryan Demelo, Solutions Marketing Manager, Cloud Portfolio at Softchoice
Christopher Payne, Territory Sales Leader, Softchoice
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Are you a leader in the IT space? Read more on Softchoice’s Innovation Executive Forum, an exclusive, members-only community of over 400 senior IT leaders across North America.
Business leaders have access to more employee data than ever before. But, as with everything else that’s happened with the shift to remote working, there are risks in every opportunity.
Unified communications thought leader Kevin Keiller and Microsoft’s Sherief Ibrahim join Erika Van Noort to examine the ethical issues and the positive impact these new data and intelligence capabilities bring to the workforce of the future.
Featuring:
Sherief Ibrahim, GM of Modern Workplace Devices at Microsoft
Kevin Keiller, Globally recognized unified communications and collaboration technology thought-leader
Special appearances by:
Christine Irving, Principal, Softchoice Design Studio
Ryan Demelo, Solutions Marketing Manager, Cloud Portfolio at Softchoice
Rebecca Martinez, Senior Enterprise Account Leader, Softchoice
Christopher Payne, Territory Sales Leader, Softchoice
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Are you a leader in the IT space? Read more on Softchoice’s Innovation Executive Forum, an exclusive, members-only community of over 400 senior IT leaders across North America.
We aren’t ever going back to the office – at least not in the same way. So what does that mean for the workplace, and even what “work” really is?
IT leaders today are tasked with rapidly building the infrastructure, security and user experience needed to create a sustainable and modern Hybrid Workplace. But they’re also operating with no playbook in hand!
In this episode, Erika speaks to a thought leader about the future of work, as well as Softchoice’s own SVP about scaling a new way of working.
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Featuring:
Jeff Reis, Senior Vice President of Information and Technology, Softchoice
Stephen Harrington, Director, Deloitte
Special appearances by:
Ryan Demelo, Solutions Marketing Manager, Cloud Portfolio at Softchoice
Rebecca Martinez, Senior Enterprise Account Leader, Softchoice
Christopher Payne, Territory Sales Leader, Softchoice
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The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast that is shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Are you a leader in the IT space? Read more on Softchoice’s Innovation Executive Forum, an exclusive, members-only community of over 400 senior IT leaders across North America.
The year 2020 saw IT leaders quickly adapting to a new world, creating changes that sometimes felt like they were a long-time coming. Now, a year later, the only way forward is to keep up the courage and continue to push ahead with bold new ideas. There’s no turning back.
This season, we’re once again shining a spotlight on the intersection of people and technology. We'll find out where the hybrid workplace is headed and re-examine what “work” actually means these days. We’ll figure out how workplace analytics can protect our mental health, the business impact of accessible technology, and how Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are now a critical factor in the IT landscape. And much, much more.
Join host Erika Van Noort for the Season 2 premiere on March 17th, 2021. New episodes every two weeks after that!
The Catalyst is an original podcast from Softchoice.
For more on Softchoice, go to https://www.softchoice.com/
The year 2020 pushed us all to great lengths to achieve things we never thought possible – and it was no exception for those in the IT space.
With the year almost behind us, the question is: what now?
In this episode, host Erika van Noort is joined by her Softchoice colleague Aaron Brooks – Senior Director of Strategy -- for a year-end, season finale. Together they review the key insights we uncovered from our co-workers and our tech leaders in Season 1 and look forward to how these same conversations will shape the IT journey in 2021 and beyond.
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast that is shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Are you a leader in the IT space? Read more on Softchoice’s Innovation Executive Forum, an exclusive, members-only community of over 400 senior IT leaders across North America.
As Canada’s longest-running restaurant chain, White Spot and Triple O's Restaurants served more than 17 million guests last year. But since the world nearly stopped in March 2020, Vice President of IT Shauna Begley has been tasked with finding innovative solutions to keep burgers and shakes a part of people’s everyday lives.
In this episode we’re taking a deep dive into the new user experience of dining out. What design innovation will result in a safer date night? Or, will we still be eating outside, next to a heat lamp all winter long?
From AI in the kitchen to the sudden rise of QR codes, feast your ears on a cornucopia of culinary digital transformation.
Featuring:
Shauna Begley, Vice President of IT at White Spot and Triple O’s
Special appearances by:
Almir Pervan, Senior Manager of Microsoft Programs at Softchoice
Michelle Blom, Talent Advisor for Campus & Territory Sales at Softchoice
Michael Bertrand, Digital Marketing Manager at Softchoice
Justin Hane, Director of Brand and Communications at Softchoice
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast that is shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Are you a leader in the IT space? Read more on Softchoice’s Innovation Executive Forum, an exclusive, members-only community of over 400 senior IT leaders across North America.
For nearly a century, the way people travelled the world didn’t change much. And then came COVID-19. Now, Erika Van Noort feels strange leaving her house at all.
In this episode, Erika sets out to understand the ever-present relationship between travel and technology and what is top of mind for travelers, industry leaders and travel bloggers alike.
In a featured interview, Erika meets up with Derek Marshall, Chief Technology Officer at TripStack, a B2B travel technology company. They talk about the future of the industry and how big data, AI, digital transformation, and next-generation customer experiences are at the forefront of getting travel back off the ground.
Featuring:
Derek Marshall, Chief Technology Officer at TripStack
Special appearances by:
Christopher Mitchel, Travel Writer at TravelingMitch and Ultimate Ontario
Almir Pervan, Senior Manager of Microsoft Programs at Softchoice
Michelle Blom, Talent Advisor for Campus & Territory Sales at Softchoice
Michael Bertrand, Digital Marketing Manager at Softchoice
Justin Hane, Director of Brand and Communications at Softchoice
Clip from:
- CBC Marketplace, “The Fight for Airline Refunds”.
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast that is shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Are you a leader in the IT space? Read more on Softchoice’s Innovation Executive Forum, an exclusive, members-only community of over 400 senior IT leaders across North America.
It’s been a while since we had “tickets to the game”. Calgary Flames IT Leader, Ziad Mehio, is feeling the impact of a sports season unlike any in history. He’s laser-focused now on how he’ll be getting fans off the couch and into the seats of a brand new, digitally-driven arena.
So, what potential does tech have to innovate the sports fan experience? How are sports fans staying energized? Will attending a game ever feel the same?
Featuring:
Ziad Mehio, Vice President Technology & Food and Beverage at Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation
Special appearances by:
Aine White, Marketing Programs Manager at Softchoice
Nicole Francis, Content Operations Senior Manager at Softchoice
Saad Afsar, Digital Marketing Senior Manager at Softchoice
Clips from:
- Kawhi Leonard Sends Philadelphia 76ers Home With Epic Buzzer-Beater in Game 7
- NHL Highlights | Jets @ Flames, GM1 - Aug. 1, 2020
- Sportsnet: GOTTA SEE IT: All 31 Picks From First Round Of 2020 NHL Draft
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast that is shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Are you a leader in the IT space? Read more on Softchoice’s Innovation Executive Forum, an exclusive, members-only community of over 400 senior IT leaders across North America.
The journey back to school this year was a lot like the beginning of the pandemic all over again, filled with uncertainty. Erika, like many parents, questions whether kids will get much out of online learning, as schools try to sort out ways to make virtual classes more engaging.
Peter Singh from the Toronto District School Board - the fourth largest schoolboard in North America and largest in Canada - joins the podcast to discuss what this year’s back-to-school season looked like, and the responsibility he had in getting nearly 250 thousand kids back into a successful learning environment.
What kinds of new tech are helping, and ultimately creating an entirely new learning experience? And, is the new approach to learning “scalable”?
Featuring:
Peter Singh, Executive Officer of IT and IM Services at the Toronto District School Board.
Special appearances by:
Nicole Francis, Content Operations Senior Manager at Softchoice
Saad Afsar, Digital Marketing Senior Manager at Softchoice
Richard Carson, Solutions Marketing Manager at Softchoice
Clip from CBC’s The National Report on “COVID-19: Your back-to-school questions answered”.
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast that is shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Are you a leader in the IT space? Read more on Softchoice’s Innovation Executive Forum, an exclusive, members-only community of over 400 senior IT leaders across North America.
The global pandemic has forced businesses to evolve at lightspeed - not something most security and compliance professionals are huge fans of!
As opportunistic attacks continue to rise and hackers get worse, should everyday people really be the last defense?
Erika sits down with cybersecurity leader, David Kennedy, to discuss how the disruptions of COVID19 has changed the game for security professionals, the average Joe, and hackers alike.
Featuring:
David Kennedy, Founder and CTO at Binary Defense and TrustedSec
Special appearances by:
Nicole Francis, Content Operations Senior Manager at Softchoice
Saad Afsar, Digital Marketing Senior Manager at Softchoice
Richard Carson, Solutions Marketing Manager at Softchoice
Aine White, Marketing Programs Manager at Softchoice
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast that is shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Are you a leader in the IT space? Read more on Softchoice’s Innovation Executive Forum, an exclusive, members-only community of over 400 senior IT leaders across North America.
Here’s the question we’re all getting a lot these days: “how are you hanging in there?”.
But it’s a loaded question.
Erika Van Noort has been checking in with her colleagues, friends and family remotely over the past seven months, and realizing how fundamental technology is in everything we do. It’s played a starring role in maintaining her success, her relationships, and her own mental health.
But it’s also brought up a lot of questions.
Like, how do businesses maintain a company culture remotely?
Do we humans even need physical connection at work?
On our first episode, we’re diving into how IT leaders and their teams are helping people overcome isolation in a work-from-home world.
Featuring:
Meghan Reid, Career Counselor and Psychologist at Canada Career Counseling
Chantale Rondeau, CIO at Sempra Energy
Special appearances by:
Nicole Francis, Content Operations Senior Manager at Softchoice
Saad Afsar, Digital Marketing Senior Manager at Softchoice
Richard Carson, Partner Marketing Manager at Softchoice
Aine White, Marketing Programs Manager at Softchoice
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast that is shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship to technology.
Are you a leader in the IT space? Read more on Softchoice’s Innovation Executive Forum, an exclusive, members-only community of over 400 senior IT leaders across North America.
When people and technology come together, the potential is limitless. But while everyone is used to hearing about the revolutionary impact of tech, it can be easy to forget about the people behind it all.
This podcast shines a light on the human side of IT leaders, as host Erika Van Noort explores and reframes our relationship to technology. It premieres October 1st, 2020.
The Catalyst is an original podcast from Softchoice. For more on Softchoice, go to https://www.softchoice.com/