Tech People: Recent Episodes

Ken Coyne

At the heart of any success story are the People who made it happen. Diversity, creativity and innovation, when nurtured in people, can lead to an unbeatable formula. This series of interviews share the experiences of some truly inspirational leaders on their journey to success.

In today's rapidly evolving tech landscape, safeguarding AI systems from security threats is more critical than ever.

Join me on Tech People Podcast as I dive into the complexities of AI security with Steve Orrin, Chief Technology Officer and Senior Principal Engineer at Intel Federal. Steve shares his expertise on the evolving threat landscape, real-world solutions to AI vulnerabilities, and the challenges of securing AI in a world where technology is constantly changing.

Tune in to learn how to outsmart security threats in the AI era and gain valuable insights for protecting your organization's digital assets!

In this episode of Tech People, we explore how Gen Z is using technology to achieve financial independence.

Our guest, Wesley Belden, Co-Founder and CEO of Raise Financial, discusses the unique financial challenges facing Gen Z, the innovative solutions they’re adopting, and the crucial role of financial education in empowering young investors.

Tune in for insights on the future of Gen Z investing!

Looking to transform your customer service game?

In this episode of Tech People, we dive deep into the world of customer service excellence with Bryant Richardson, President and Chief CX Officer at Real Blue Sky.

Discover how to elevate your customer experience, build a customer-centric culture, and empower your team to deliver exceptional results! Bryant shares practical strategies and insights to help you unlock the full potential of your customer service department.

Don't miss this essential episode for any business aiming to thrive!

Looking to elevate your Customer Experience strategy?

In this episode of Tech People, I had the pleasure of speaking with Liliana Petrov, CEO/Founder of Petrova Experience and a true Customer Experience Visionary.

Liliana shared her inspiring journey into the world of CX, offering valuable lessons and best practices she's picked up along the way. We explored the art of crafting exceptional customer journeys and practical strategies. Liliana also revealed her honest advice on managing stakeholder expectations, a crucial element for achieving CX success.

If you're passionate about creating happy customer experiences, this episode is a must-listen!

Feeling overwhelmed keeping up with the ever-changing tech landscape?

In this episode of Tech People, my guest David Bowman, joins me to explore a trend reshaping how companies build tech teams: the rise of the Fractional CTO.

As the tech world speeds up, companies are embracing flexible tech leadership to stay nimble and win. But what's a Fractional CTO, and why are they so popular?

David, a veteran tech leader who transitioned to this unique role, uncovers the challenges and rewards of this path, exploring the true value they offer beyond just saving money.

Whether you're a startup founder, a tech executive, or simply curious about the future of work, this episode is a must-listen!

The global marketplace demands exceptional CX, but navigating cultural nuances can be tricky.

In this episode of Tech People, we welcome Dennis Wakabayashi, a highly esteemed expert in the field of cross-cultural Customer Experience. He is widely recognised as the Global Voice of CX, a testament to his extensive knowledge and influential presence in the industry. Throughout his career, Dennis has made significant contributions to the understanding and enhancement of CX across different cultures and regions. His insights and expertise have helped numerous organisations deliver exceptional customer service on a global scale.

Join us as we explore strategies for exceeding expectations and building bridges with customers across the globe!

AI continues to dominate headlines in 2024, but what does it mean for our data?

This week, I'm delighted to be joined by Sorcha Lorimer, a leading expert in data governance. Sorcha is the founder of Trace Data & Privacy, a company helping organisations navigate the complexities of data privacy in the age of AI. She's here to guide us through a Practical Guide to AI & Data Governance.

Ready to take control of your data in the AI age?

Building a customer-centric culture is key to sustainable growth in today's tech landscape.

Join me on Tech People, as I welcome Rodney Galeano, EVP of Operations at Experior Global and a leader with extensive experience in this field. Rodney shares his insights on overcoming challenges and implementing a winning customer-centric strategy.

Listen and gain access to valuable knowledge on elevating your customer experience!

What if your customers could become your biggest fans?

This week I’m joined by Graham Clark, an expert with over 40 years of experience. We’ll share the steps to take your customer experience from "good enough" to outstanding and future-proof.

Learn how to leverage technology, cultivate a customer-obsessed culture and keep your customers coming back for more!

Ready to level up your investment experience?

This episode of Tech People dives into the world of investor CX with Nathan Zahm, Head of CX Alpha at Vanguard. I chatted with Nathan about Vanguard's commitment to empowering individuals on their financial journeys. Tune into learn about the driving force behind Vanguard's CX focus, how to overcome challenges and seize opportunities in investor experience and to get a glimpse into the future of investor experience at Vanguard!

Optimise your investment journey and gain valuable insights from a CX leader at the forefront of the financial industry!

Ever wonder why some brands leave you feeling happy and eager to return, while others leave you frustrated and wanting to jump ship?

The answer lies in emotions! In this episode we welcome ⁠Doug Roerden⁠, Head of Experience Design at ⁠FM Global⁠, to explore the powerful link between emotional wellbeing and customer experience. We discuss how businesses can tap into the power of positive emotions and the role of employee wellbeing.

Can prioritising emotional wellbeing be a sustainable competitive advantage?

Feeling burned out? You're not alone.

In this episode of Tech People, we speak about the critical topic of mental health in the workplace with Dr Grant H Brenner, a psychiatrist, psychotherapist, and mental health expert. Dr. Brenner unpacks the causes of burnout, explores solutions for individuals, and offers guidance for companies looking to create a more supportive work environment.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone in tech feeling the strain or for managers looking to boost employee wellbeing.

Struggling to build a diverse and inclusive team in the tech industry?

Ken Coyne, host of Tech People, speaks about the ongoing challenge with Kesi Johnson, a passionate advocate for gender equality. Johnson, founder of Parity, a powerful network for women and non-binary leaders, investigates both progress made and persistent challenges in tech.

Tune in for actionable strategies and inspiring stories that will help you create a more equitable workplace.

This episode of Tech People dives into the world of AI-powered conversational assistants in the contact centre industry.

Ken Coyne chats with Thomas Rocharz, Director of Contact Centers at Cape Air. Join the conversation to learn how Cape Air leverages cutting-edge AI to streamline customer interactions, resolve inquiries efficiently, and ultimately, enhance the overall passenger experience. From faster response times to personalised recommendations, discover how AI is revolutionising customer service at Cape Air.

Struggling with low customer loyalty and a stagnant NPS?

This episode of Tech People is your key to unlocking explosive growth! Join us as we chat with CX expert Zanna Van Der Aa. She'll reveal the FASTEST ways to skyrocket your NPS, expose common pitfalls businesses make (and how to avoid them!), and share practical strategies to turn passive customers into fans. Learn how to leverage data, empower your employees, and use NPS to drive continuous improvement.

Ready to transform your customer experience and see your NPS soar? Press play and get ready to take notes!

What's the future of the Business Process Outsourcing industry?

This episode of Tech People will shift your perspective on BPO! Let's welcome Henry Svendblad, the CTO of Company Nurse powered by Lintelo. Learn about his journey from traditional to subscription-based outsourcing. Explore the challenges, inspirations, and digital solutions driving this revolutionary change.

Let's take a different approach! What's the connection between football and CX? This week's guest will tell us all about it!

Meet Greg Uglioni, also known as the CX goalkeeper! Discover the strategies behind fostering fanatical customer loyalty and cultivating a winning team culture.

Get ready for a game-changing episode that merges the world of sports with business insights!

Ready to discover the future of marketing? This week it's time for AI marketing!

Meet Kevin Neary, an expert with a proven track record of balancing cutting-edge technology to drive business success. Explore the revolutionary impact of AI on customer engagement, from hyper-personalisation to predictive analytics and beyond.

Don't miss out - listen and learn all about AI-driven marketing!

Join me in this week's episode of Tech People with Brian Lawlor, Group Chief Commercial Officer at B4B Payments – A Banking Circle Group company.

With over 20 years of industry expertise, Brian unravels the challenges and trends in B2B payments. Understand the transformative power of seamless cross-border transactions and the shift towards digital solutions. From the decline of traditional banking to the rise of virtual cards, Brian shares insights about the B2B space.

Listen to strategic advice for businesses considering B2B Payments and look into the future of AI in the payments industry. Don't miss it!

There’s no company without a culture. Whether it’s considered a crucial aspect or completely disregarded, it is there to stay. So, what should we do to foster a culture that’s beneficial to everyone within an organisation?

In this week's episode of TechPeople, we’re joined by Shelley Shaffery, a seasoned DevOps lead who's not only shaping technological advancements but also revolutionising workplace dynamics. Shelley will be sharing her firsthand experiences and success stories in creating a more positive and collaborative atmosphere within her organisation.

Tune in to learn about the innovative initiatives she's spearheaded and the strategies behind building a thriving internal community!

Ever wondered what sets successful startups apart from the rest? Today, we're exploring the roots of success!

Discover how a strong company culture in the early stages can shape the trajectory of a startup's journey towards sustainability. Joining us is Cambron Henderson, a seasoned startup pro with 20+ years of experience, ready to share her insights on the topic.

Ready to gain insights on building a thriving company from the ground up?

On this episode of Tech People, we're on a quest to understand the intricate web of AI and tech trends shaping our online existence. Lindsey Witmer Collins, Founder & CEO of CSM at WLCM App Studio and our expert guest, allows us to understand the challenges and opportunities of innovation and the responsibility that follows.

How can we ensure a positive digital inheritance for future generations? Can we create a tech legacy without compromise? Tune in to find out!

Gen Z isn't just riding tech trends; they're rewriting the rules of cyber warfare.

In this Tech People episode, I have the privilege of sitting down with Aviv Mussinger, the CEO & Co-Founder of Kodem. Together, we embark on a deep dive into recent real-world cyber attacks. Uncovering the motives behind these incidents, Aviv not only provides insights but arms us with practical, actionable strategies to fortify our cybersecurity defences.

Tune in and equip yourself with the knowledge to stay ahead in the world of cyber threats!

Ever wondered how to bridge the gap between customer satisfaction and employee engagement?

In this episode of TechPeople, we look into the complex interaction between these two crucial pillars of organisational success. Meet today’s guest, Matthew Egol, Founder & CEO of JourneySpark Consulting, CX Subject Matter Expert at MMA Global, CCXP, Podcast Host, and the mastermind behind "The CX and Culture Connection." As an expert in experience management and culture, he shares strategies for a growth flywheel in companies. Discover how syncing culture evolution with design work is not just helpful but vital for a substantial return on customer experience (CX) investments.

Tune in and deepen your understanding of the CX and EX synergy!

Ready to delve into the evolution of decentralised finance (DeFi)? This week's episode of Tech People features a conversation with Ian Horne, the head of content at Money 2020, a finance and tech writer, and the mastermind behind "Why DeFi Matters." We explore the profound impact of cryptocurrencies on investors and the future of finance. Ian delves into the motivations behind "Why DeFi Matters" and how he challenges traditional financial perspectives.

From Ian's behind-the-scenes role at Money 2020 to what drives his exploration of decentralised finance, this episode is all about the intersection of technology and finance!

Join us on this episode as we dive into the Tech-Kids dynamic with Diane Acevedo, Senior Vice President of Operations and Customer Experience at Gabb Wireless. With a diverse career and a tech-driven passion, Diane, a parent herself, unravels the intricate relationship between children and technology.

We'll uncover the dual nature of tech's impact on kids—both the positive catalyst for learning and creativity and the potential pitfalls of screen time and online risks. Diane, drawing from her experience, shares insights on the aspect of responsibility. Discover practical tips on setting boundaries, cultivating healthy tech habits, and fostering open dialogues about online safety.

Whether you're a parent, educator, or simply invested in the future of our youth, this episode is your guide to understanding and harnessing technology's influence on children's lives. Tune in and empower yourself with knowledge on shaping a positive digital future!

Prepare for an insightful journey into the world of Leadership Principles!

Joining me is the remarkable Owen Fitzpatrick, a transformative force dedicated to enhancing individuals' lives through the power of belief. Owen collaborates with CEOs and leadership teams, reshaping the very fabric of organizational beliefs. In this episode, we delve into the profound impact of Leadership Principles, unraveling how beliefs shape effective leadership.

Don't miss this opportunity to gain practical insights that can elevate your leadership skills. Tune in now to explore the dynamic intersection of belief and leadership.

Discover the future of startup coaching on the latest episode of 'Tech People'. Join us as we learn about the challenges faced by founders in the startup world and how AI is revolutionising coaching.

Our special guest, David Orban, CEO of Actioneer, shares insights into the limitations of traditional coaching methods and how AI-driven coaching overcomes these challenges. Explore Actioneer's innovative approach to providing personalised support to founders globally.

Tune in to explore the exciting future of startup coaching and the transformative role of AI in empowering entrepreneurs to reach their full potential.

In an era where businesses are navigating the challenges of distributed teams, particularly in remote customer support, our focus turns to the landscape of the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. Renowned for its diverse cultures and languages, managing teams here requires a special set of skills.

Join us for an insightful conversation with George Akle, the Founder and HR Governance Expert at GOVERNHR, as we uncover the lessons learned from steering remote teams in the heart of Asia. From hurdles to effective strategies and essential tools, we'll explore the intricacies of building successful remote customer support operations in this region.

Prepare for a deep dive into the nuances of remote team success!

Ever wondered how technology is transforming with the rise of Web3? Join us on Tech People, where we're delighted to introduce Richard Pasqua, Chief Creative Officer at ARC and host of the Web3 Unpacked Podcast.

Embark on a journey into the transformative realm of Web3. What are the key benefits, growing significance, and exciting developments that shape its future? Explore the cutting-edge technology, where innovation meets empowerment, guided by Richard's expertise.

RICH/ARC/MVMT CONTACT INFO

Arc Website: http://arctai.com

Arc LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arctai/

All MVMT Links: https://linktr.ee/mvmt.media

Medium: https://medium.com/@mvmt.media

MVMT Website: https://mvmt.media

In this episode, we delve into the board of directors' dynamic role in tackling customer issues, differentiating it from the conventional hiring of executives. Our guest, Carle Henry, returns for his second appearance on the show, boasting over 35 years of expertise as VP of Customer Service at Ontrac.

Carle introduces the concept of "PS" (Processes, Policies, Procedures, and People) as the cornerstone for elevating service quality. We explore the alignment of the board's priorities with the mission of service enhancement, highlighting the necessity to address systemic challenges throughout the organisation. Outstanding service extends far beyond customer service teams; it's a company-wide cultural commitment.

Stay tuned to uncover the art of nurturing a customer-centric culture and the pivotal role of board-level engagement.

Contact Carle at: cdhenry3@gmail.com

Join us on Tech People as we look into the complex landscape of expanding business operations to the United States. The path to success is riddled with challenges such as cultural nuances, regulatory complexities, and fierce competition.

In this episode, we're joined by Philip McNamara, the CEO of GetProven, a software company specialising in vendor management for venture capital and private equity firms. Hailing from Ireland, Philip brings his unique insights on conquering the hurdles of entering the U.S. market, from building crucial connections to making strategic decisions.

Discover the knowledge and strategies required to successfully navigate the U.S. market!

Tune in to discover the nuances of psychological safety in the workplace. Why is it vital for employees to feel free to speak up without fear of retribution?

In this episode of 'Tech People,' we discuss the world of workplace psychology with Chantel Wilson Chase, the Director of Quality Analytics and Reporting at Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc./ AstraZeneca's Rare Disease Business Unit. We delve into the subtleties of psychological safety and the importance of open communication within organisations. Chantel's diverse background, from handling sensitive survey data to her academic journey into applied sociology, brings a fresh perspective to the discussion.

What does the future of Customer Service hold? What is the potential of AI-driven chat and conversational models?

This week, we have the privilege of hosting Shep Hyken, a renowned expert in the world of Customer Service and Customer Experience. His accolades include being an Award-Winning Keynote Speaker and earning a spot in the Hall of Fame of the National Speakers Association. Shep’s passion for elevating customer service is infectious, and in this episode, he shares his insights and experiences when it comes to creating unforgettable customer experiences.

Listen in to discover the potential of AI-driven chat and conversational models. Explore how AI can streamline operations, elevate customer satisfaction, and address ethical considerations, from boosting efficiency to preserving user privacy.

Explore the customer-centricity in finance on this week’s Tech People Podcast episode! Meet Janis Avila, a true expert in home lending. Learn about its foundations and the vital roles of trust and personal connections. Janis outlines the success pillars for enhancing customer experience as well as shares advice on integrating it into your business culture. Tune in to learn how to align leadership for a brighter future!

Curious about the future of tech and customer success? In this episode of Tech People, we're joined by Sherrod Patching, the Vice President of Customer Success Management at GitLab. She leads a Team that helps customers get the most from their investments.

During our conversation, Sherrod shares how they leverage AI to enhance the software development process, making it more efficient and innovative. Furthermore, she lets us in on how they measure success by focusing on early indicators.

Join us as we discuss the integration of AI and the possibilities of self-service!

In this episode of Tech People, we explore the age-old question of whether to buy, build, or lease software and technology. This week’s guest, Declan Sheehy, a COO and CTO at Onyx and an experienced professional in the financial sector, shares his expertise and insights on this crucial decision-making process.

With over 25 years of experience in operations, sales, and technology, Declan guides us through the factors that should be considered when making software choices. He highlights the importance of aligning software decisions with business goals and explores the benefits and risks associated with each option.

This episode provides practical advice for navigating the complex landscape of software decision-making in the finance industry, from cost considerations to scalability and vendor management. Join us as we unravel the mysteries of software choices and learn how to leverage technology for success and growth.

It's never too early to unwrap the customer service secrets behind the magic of holiday decor, especially when businesses are already gearing up for the busy season!

This week's guest, Bernie Leas, Vice President of Operations at Balsam Brands, a company renowned for its high-end artificial Christmas trees and seasonal decor, shares his expertise in overcoming the unique challenges of seasonal business.

Listen all about the holiday rush that sends customer inquiries soaring and the innovative tech that keeps Balsam Brands ahead of the curve. Learn how Bernie's 17 years of experience in strategic direction and scalable systems have helped the company to succeed. From navigating the surge in customer inquiries during the holiday season to leveraging technology like AI for enhanced customer support.

Tune in as we discuss Balsam Brands' personalized shopping experience and their vision for the future!

Discover the world of open banking on the Tech People podcast, as we welcome Daniel Klevit, a Sales Director at Trovata, for an in-depth discussion on the game-changing impact of open banking APIs and their role in driving fintech innovation. From streamlining productivity to enhancing customer success and security, Daniel shares insights into how AI and open banking are revolutionising the industry.

Learn how open banking paves the way for collaboration between fintech and traditional banks, fostering a thriving ecosystem of innovation. Daniel sheds light on how third-party apps and fintech can leverage open banking data to build user-friendly applications, liberating users from the confines of traditional banking portals.

Be part of the fintech revolution and tune in now! Subscribe to the Tech People podcast and join the community to stay ahead.

In this week's episode of Tech People, we delve into the world of payments with our guest, Gideon Fourie. As the Group Chief Commercial Officer at RS2 Software, Gideon brings valuable insights into the evolving payments landscape and the challenges faced by companies in this industry.

Throughout the episode, we explore the impact of digital transformation, the pivotal role of technology in driving innovation, and the significant influence of regulation on the payments sector. Additionally, we dive into the future of payments, examining emerging trends such as embedded payments, the potential of AI and biometrics, and the importance of adaptation to stay ahead.

Join us for Gideon’s expert perspective and uncover the current state and future prospects of the payments industry!

If you’re interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the role of AI in enhancing customer experiences, look no further!

This week’s episode of Tech People features Jeff DeVerter, the Chief Technology Evangelist at Rackspace Technology. This conversation is all about AI and machine learning. Jeff will let us in on the history of AI and the significant impact it has on various industries, from healthcare to finance, and how it is being used. From chatbots and virtual assistants to recommendation systems and sentiment analysis, AI has become an indispensable tool for companies seeking to understand and cater to their customers' needs.

Join us to understand the role of AI in enhancing customer experiences and decision-making processes, as well as the ethical considerations that come with this rapidly advancing technology!

We delve into an enlightening conversation about the possibilities and potential risks tied to AI. This week’s guest is Srikant Chellappa, the CEO, and co-founder of Engagedly, a company dedicated to aligning people strategies with organizational goals. With a diverse background in engineering, business, and a passion for the arts, Srikant also runs a production company that creates movies and music.

During our discussion, we explore the undeniable impact AI will have on the job market. While acknowledging that AI will indeed replace many jobs, Sri believes that it will also create new roles and opportunities, balancing the situation.

As we delve deeper, Srikant expresses his concerns about the potential misuse and challenges associated with AI. Drawing a parallel, he compares AI to a powerful but potentially dangerous tool, much like a nuclear bomb that can be harmful in the wrong hands. To mitigate these risks, Sri emphasizes the importance of implementing regulations to ensure responsible AI usage.

Join us for this thought-provoking episode as we navigate the advancements of AI while keeping in mind the necessity of responsible and ethical implementation.

Join us for an insightful episode of Tech People recorded during Customer Contact Week in Las Vegas. Our guest, Brandon Bird, a renowned Customer Experience Industry Leader, dives into the exciting world of technology trends discussed at the event. Brandon sheds light on the growing significance of Chat GPT and the utilization of AI in Customer Contact Centers. He emphasizes the importance of balancing innovation with security considerations and advises against blindly adopting trends.
Tune in to discover how technology is shaping the customer service industry and helps to ensure customer satisfaction.

During this week's episode of Tech People, I speak to Ty Givens, the founder, and CEO of CX Collective. Drawing from her extensive background in customer experience management, including remarkable feats like scaling a team from 7 to 130 members in just nine months, Ty empowers companies to revolutionize their approach to customer satisfaction.

With a passion for helping startups thrive, Ty shares her invaluable insights on shifting from reactive customer service to proactive customer experience. She will also go over what she focuses on while working with start-ups, and what is important to understand during the process of implementing CX into your company.

Get ready to learn how to create exceptional experiences for your customers as we dive into this captivating conversation with Ty Givens.

It is a challenging time in customer success with the current market conditions but what are key issues and how can we address them? I'm delighted to be joined at Money 20/20 by Rik Goslinga, Senior Director of Enterprise Customer Success Europe and Australia at Paypal. Rik shares what customer success means to his team and how it is all about helping customers grow.

He provides fantastic insights into the challenges they face such as how they are improving the checkout process and trying to get his customers to use PayPal for all their volume. I loved listening to his focus on people and learning how they shifted from a responsive to a proactive approach when dealing with customers such as helping them to leverage real-time data from Paypal.

It was also very exciting to learn about his future plans and his thoughts on AI. This is a must-listen for anyone looking to improve their customer success. As Rik says 'Never Stand Still', which is how they work at Paypal. Enjoy the show🙂.

payments #customer success

Did you ever realize that our mental well-being is connected to the banking industry? On this week's episode of Tech People, we dive into this often overlooked connection. Join me as I welcome Remco Veenenberg, an expert with a diverse background, who will shed light on this unobvious combination.

In recent years, the occurrence of burnout has increased. Remco highlights the constant connectivity and the pressure to always be available and online as major culprits. Struggling to strike a balance, individuals often impose unnecessary pressure on themselves. Learning the art of saying no and setting boundaries becomes crucial in managing workloads and prioritizing well-being.

Furthermore, Remco highlights the shifting landscape of fintech, where the focus has evolved from disruption to complementing existing services. Rather than introducing entirely new concepts, fintech companies are now dedicated to improving and enhancing traditional banking services.

Tune in and discover how our financial stability and mental health intertwine, and learn about the evolving banking industry!

Curious to know how a small startup found its niche in the cryptocurrency industry?

Join me on this week's episode of Tech People, where I sit down with Philip Jonitz, the co-founder of Klink Finance, a prize-linked crypto platform.

Philip shares his background in the startup ecosystem and his decision to focus on the crypto space. We discuss the challenges of building a crypto company in a volatile market and navigating negative headlines. But amidst it all, Philip remains optimistic about crypto's future, highlighting increased transparency and institutional adoption as positive developments.

If you're seeking an insider's perspective on the potential of crypto, get ready to listen to Philip's compelling vision!

A lot of great takeaways this week on how to build a CS function in your company. I speak with Jenna Chau, a Head of Customer Success at Invelo, a cutting-edge software company catering to real estate investors.

Jenna's journey is a testament to the power of resilience and strategic career moves. After facing the challenge of being laid off during the pandemic, she embraced the opportunity to reimagine her path and ultimately secured a customer success position. With her diverse background spanning sales, marketing, management, and event management, Jenna brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her role.

She discusses the challenges and strategies she employs to maintain a high standard of support. From building playbooks to developing clear guidelines and procedures, Jenna unveils her methods for navigating diverse customer interactions effectively.

Jenna's passion for creating unique customer experiences is contagious. Join us for this eye-opening conversation and learn how she leaves a lasting impression on her customers.

Are you looking to build a successful customer success team? In this episode of the Tech People podcast, I talk with Antti Nevalainen, a Customer Success Coach at Catalyst Software, about his views on the subject.

Nevalainen highlights the importance of analyzing the customer journey to determine whether a human touchpoint is necessary. He shares tips on building a strong CSM team, such as identifying skill gaps, developing training programs, and prioritizing workload management to prevent burnout.

He also emphasizes the significance of remote team building and creating moments for social interaction to build trust and solidarity among team members. In addition, we discuss the importance of measuring success and proving the team's value to stakeholders.

Don't miss out on this episode on building a successful customer success team. Subscribe to the Tech People podcast right now and learn from the best.

On this week's episode of Tech People, I'm thrilled to welcome back Ben Rosenberg, Senior Director of Customer Support, Enablement, and Community at ChurnZero, as our guest. During the discussion, he sheds light on the challenges that businesses face with customer retention and emphasizes the importance of approaching these challenges strategically. As he explains, the key to retaining customers is to provide an outstanding customer experience.

Ben also shares his insights on AI, pointing out that although it can play a vital role in customer retention, it must be integrated seamlessly with human operators. As technology continues to advance, businesses have more opportunities to promote customer retention.

This episode presents a fascinating discussion on client retention and success strategies that any business can benefit from. To learn how to keep your clients and grow your business, be sure to tune in for valuable insights from industry expert Ben Rosenberg.

In this week's Tech People podcast, we explore the latest in CX technology and strategy. In this exciting episode, we have the pleasure of welcoming back Amy Behbehani, now a senior consultant at InflowCX, a leading consulting firm for contact center technology, unified communications, and quality analytics.
Amy shares her expertise on how to enhance your CX journey with the latest automation, AI, and cloud-based solutions. She also provides valuable insights on how to overcome process challenges and select the best BPO for your company.
At InflowCX, they take a data-driven approach to evaluate potential solutions for their clients, using scorecards to make informed decisions. They also offer an 8-week approach to manage the change management process and help ease clients into the transition process.

Whether you're a small startup or a large enterprise, InflowCX provides technology solutions, operational consulting, and BPO consulting for companies of all sizes. Tune in to our latest episode to learn more about how Amy helps companies improve their CX journey and deliver efficient and effective customer service solutions.

In this weeks Tech People podcast we explore the latest in CX technology and strategy. In this exciting episode, we have the pleasure of welcoming back Amy Behbehani, now a senior consultant at InflowCX, a leading consulting firm for contact center technology, unified communications, and quality analytics.

Amy shares her expertise on how to enhance your CX journey with the latest automation, AI, and cloud-based solutions. She also provides valuable insights on how to overcome process challenges and select the best BPO for your company.

At InflowCX, they take a data-driven approach to evaluate potential solutions for their clients, using scorecards to make informed decisions. They also offer an 8-week approach to manage the change management process and help ease clients into the transition process.

Whether you're a small startup or a large enterprise, InflowCX provides technology solutions, operational consulting, and BPO consulting for companies of all sizes. Tune in to our latest episode to learn more about how Amy helps companies improve their CX journey and deliver efficient and effective customer service solutions.

Are you looking to scale customer success in your organization? Join Ken Coyne on the latest Tech People episode featuring Jomilsa Souza, a senior customer success manager at Swiftly, who shares her insights on how to scale customer success in different types of organizations successfully.

In this episode, Jo discusses the challenges of scaling customer success and how to approach them based on the size and segmentation of the customer base. She emphasizes the importance of prioritizing short-term goals and projects to create value for customers, and effective communication to retain talent. She also provides valuable insights into metrics and their importance, along with future trends in customer success.

Whether you are a startup or a large organization, customizing your strategies to your unique needs is essential to scaling your customer success. Learn from Jo's extensive experience and valuable advice on the Dos and Don'ts of Scaling your customer success. Tune in and gain valuable insights to help you drive customer success and growth!

If you’ve ever felt stuck or unsure about what comes next, check this episode out! By the end, you will have gained a greater knowledge of how to define what is essential to you, identify your passions and hobbies, and create an achievable strategy for your goals.

This episode of Tech People features Ken Coyne interviewing Colton Chorpenning, a digital nomad and senior interactive producer at Google, discussing his book: "What the F Is Next?".

The book, co-written by Colton and his father, is a practical guide for anyone going through a transition period. It provides a clear and concrete plan for accomplishing both short- and long-term objectives. Colton's method includes determining your priorities and passions, as well as creating goals to achieve them. Colton emphasises the necessity of getting to the heart of what you desire and periodically checking in on your progress. He also stresses the significance of enjoying the path leading up to the goal.

The book is already available on Amazon and will soon be available as an audiobook.

Don't miss out on this episode of Tech People with Colton Chorpenning, where you'll learn practical tips on how to figure out what's next for you.

The use and popularity of cryptocurrencies continue to rise, and with that comes the question: how to effectively regulate this digital asset class? Whether you're a seasoned crypto investor or just curious about the future of digital currencies, this episode is not to be missed.

In this episode, I’m joined by Marc Taverner to explore the current state of the crypto market and its regulation. We also discuss the progress made with the approval of the Markets in Crypto Assets (MICA) framework while still emphasising the importance of striking a balance between KYC, AML, and privacy rights.

Marc works for Xerof, a Swiss-based firm that provides an on-ramp and off-ramp for high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, as well as companies looking to convert large amounts of cryptocurrency into fiat currencies. The company has established business relationships with liquidity providers and private banks to facilitate transactions in a non-disruptive manner. Through transactional business and supporting web3 businesses, Marc hopes to grow Xerof into a multibillion-dollar enterprise over the next five years.

Customer success is an often overlooked function in organisations, but it has the potential to be a game-changer for revenue growth.

In the latest episode of the Tech People podcast, Ken Coyne welcomes Growth Engineering's Head of Customer Success, Minna Vaisanen. Minna sheds light on the importance of customer success within organisations. She challenges the traditional view of customer success as a mere support function and emphasises its potential to drive commercial value and revenue growth.

With her extensive experience in the field, Minna shares valuable insights on understanding customer use cases, providing quantifiable results, and implementing milestone mapping exercises to ensure customers see value. She also highlights the crucial role of customer success in organisations and predicts how data and automation will continue to shape the industry.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in unlocking the power of customer success to drive growth and increase revenue.

Over the last decade, the business world has seen a significant shift towards customer-centricity, and companies are increasingly realising the value of investing in customer success. But what exactly is customer success, and how can it benefit both the customer and the organisation?

This week I’m joined by Jason Noble, the VP of Global Customer Success at Vinli. Jason, with a decade of customer success experience, highlights the challenge of defining customer value. Metrics like time to value, NPS, customer satisfaction, and revenue retention rates help track value. Identifying value moments in the customer journey and conducting periodic reviews can ensure customer satisfaction. It's crucial to be selective in surveys and ensure customer comprehension to avoid fatigue. Internally, value propositions that translate to customer value are essential. Jason warns against exceeding expectations at the cost of the business and neglecting external factors affecting customer needs. He also predicts there will be a growing emphasis on value delivery, especially in light of current economic challenges.

When Covid struck, many companies were desperately scrambling for ideas to keep associates engaged and productive. How does one manage morale when everyone is working from home? These were unchartered waters.

Today we focus particularly on the initiatives launched at Lasership which ultimately lead to improved communication and an impressive, positive impact on attrition. I’m delighted to be joined by Carle Henry, Vice President of Customer Service at Lasership. With more than 35 years of experience in customer service, he has lots of invaluable insights to share.

Carle set about creating a virtual recognition program. A new team of 8-10 like-minded associates from different levels and different teams were brought together to create and improve culture during challenging times. Surveys were carried out to learn what really mattered. The result? There were daily to annual recognitions, including High Fives and Year End Oscars. They even included a spin off from Some Good News which was a turning point, as associates began sharing on a personal level, fostering loyalty, commitment and positive relationships. Cooking clubs and photography clubs have been born out of these initiatives. This has been a tremendously successful initiative which Carle discusses at length. Tune in for a truly inspirational story for any CX leader.

Have you ever wondered why somebody gets a Harley-Davidson tattoo? Well on this week's episode of Tech People, I talk with Ken Hughes a CX strategist and consumer behavior analyst whose work focuses on these kinds of questions and the importance of understanding life through the lens of the consumer.

We look at how CX needs to move away from a transactional view and towards creating an emotional connection with customers. Digital technology has pushed society into a more immersive space, which has led to transactions becoming commodities instead of experiences. AI and chatbots can assist with customer service, but the depth of connection is missing.

Ken Hughes feels that companies should strive to deepen their connection with customers by instilling values in employees that emphasize making a difference and bringing back the human aspect and increasing channels and touchpoints by outsourcing customer service and finding good partners who are invested in the technology and the future. Whether it's using humor to diffuse difficult situations or an employee going above and beyond to “save” a small child's goldfish, authenticity is essential to consumers.

Ken Hughes is also a motivational speaker and will be back on tour in 2023, traveling the world and enjoying interactions with live audiences, so be on the lookout for his appearances. Enjoy the show.

90% of Startups fail, so how can you overcome this statistic?

This week Gordan Hempton shares his success and failures on how to build a startup. Gordon is currently the CEO and co-founder of Spot, his 4th Startup, which is a flexible virtual workspace application tailored to companies with remote employees.

He gives valuable insights into his journey to create a successful virtual workspace. As well as the importance of generating revenue early and how important it is to reach out and nurture each customer that signs up.

Gordon also uses his three previous startups as examples on the importance of determining when it's the right time to pivot or shut down a business. Ken and Gordon also focus on Spot's future, which is to continue developing their platform and make it more immersive and connected. This is a fantastic insight into how cutting-edge technology is connecting people and helping us achieve even more, enjoy the show!

Industry 4.0 is breaking new ground in Digitalisation by making better use of resources, empowering employees, reducing costs, and ultimately increasing profitability with the help of machine learning and AI.

In this week's podcast, my guest Karim Marucchi who is the CEO of Crowd Favorite, discusses Industry 4.0, the advanced digitalization of manufacturing companies, and the integration of technologies in all aspects of production.

He shares a fascinating case study of how Industry 4.0 can be used to improve efficiency and CX in the construction industry by developing a cataloging system for a construction equipment manufacturer that allows clients to get pricing for projects online, while still maintaining a human connection with clients. This is an engaging look at how new technology is impacting every industry, enjoy the show!

As a CX leader are you taking on the entire scope of the customer experience? Is your CX strategy aligned with the strategy of the company? Are key business insights getting lost in big data? Are you taking note of the latest trends and what is the risk or benefit to your business? And crucially are you an effective storyteller able to communicate your CX goals to all levels of your organization?

In this episode, Ken discusses all these topics and more with Jaap Wilms, a thought leader in CX with over 22 years of experience. Jaap is the founder and owner of Wilms & Co., which offers master classes on CX, NPS, and business storytelling. He also serves as a sparring partner for corporate companies implementing CX initiatives, providing advice and assistance with strategy and road mapping. Today Jaap discusses some of the pitfalls in the field of CX, including a lack of alignment with company strategy, a failure to stay up-to-date on trends, the damage of poor internal communication, and how focusing only on the customer journey is just not enough. Check out our conversion to learn more…

Companies collect a lot of data from customers and it’s crucial to act upon this information rather than aimlessly cataloging it and allowing the dust to settle! Every touch point gives some insight into understanding the customer and paints a more complete picture informing internal teams about what’s really going on. Once we are clear about what we really want to learn about the customer, companies can make more accurate projections about the future. This is invaluable. Data not only provides insight into product decisions but also assists customer retention efforts and self-service.

This week I’m delighted to welcome Ben Gardner, Senior Director of Support at Drift. Previously, Ben shared his experience of implementing an effective ticketing tool in CX, and today he takes a closer look at why data can be an instrumental tool to enhance productivity and performance. Ben discusses the importance of ingesting every piece of data which contributes to a greater knowledge of the customer experience and how best to react when a red flag has been raised. Fantastic ideas for anyone operating in this space! Enjoy the show!

Today we are discussing customer metrics and how one can tell the real story behind them by digging a little deeper. Not only do they reflect customer satisfaction levels but they can also be a very useful tool to support the team at hand. Different companies measure customer success using various metrics such as SLAs, CSAT, and NPS. However, they do not always present a clear picture.

I’m delighted to be joined by Kevin French, senior director of customer support at Bizzabo. Kevin explains how team metrics can sometimes be excellent but missing SLAs can remain an issue. An unproductive team or a staffing issue is usually behind such a scenario and these need to be addressed accordingly. How then did Kevin turn things around and drive CSAT levels to an all-time high? Right size the team and keep a close eye on global, regional, and individual metrics. This a fascinating insight into the value of looking at customer metrics under the microscope. Enjoy the show!

It is a tumultuous time for the retail sector. Shoppers' behaviors and expectations have changed dramatically and continue to evolve post-pandemic. How are companies adapting to this new environment and what marketplace solutions are available to secure their future in retail?

To answer these questions and more, Francois Chaubard, Focal Systems CEO, gives a fascinating insight into this sector. Focal Systems is an AI company, specializing in retail automation. Francois believes their AI capabilities will enable grocery retail giants to become self-driven stores in the future. Focal Systems cameras and AI software scan the store shelves providing the retailer with 100% accurate inventory results. Resources can therefore be invested into better customer services for example and improved technology elsewhere. Ultimately, a self-driven store creates its’ own planogram, reacting in real-time to changes in demand, and supply, adapting pricing, and adjusting promotions. It can drive profitability and reduce food waste and global warming caused by over-ordering. Focal Systems is central to this revolution. This an incredible insight for anyone interested in AI and how the future looks for retail. Enjoy the show.

This week I’m delighted to welcome Anieke Lamers, founder of Peekabond to the show. Peekabond is an interactive app that allows separated family members living all over the world to connect and sustain meaningful relationships with younger family members in particular.

Anieke gives a very in-depth insight into the startup journey so far with lots of valuable advice. From the challenges presented by new technologies like blockchain and metaverse to being cost-effective and using existing technologies instead of building, Anieke has lots to share for anyone tinkering with the idea of a new startup.

With a venture capitalist background, she discusses the reality of working with investors today post-pandemic, their goals, and concerns. As always finding the right talent to align with the company mission, communicate remotely, be transparent, and have dynamic outcomes features in our conversation. Crucially, the all-important user, their role, and achieving the right product-market fit is up for discussion here too. This is a bumper-packed episode providing a behind-the-scenes insight into a startup that operates in one of the most relevant spaces for the world we live in today. Enjoy the show.

The major shifts in today’s workforce have put business leaders to the test. Workforce inclusion and a company's ability to be agile have never been so important. Successful companies are those that listen to their workforce and demonstrate an inclusive environment. They are nimble, competitive, and engage in talent marketing.

To discuss much of this topic and more, I am delighted to be joined by Ahva Sadeghi to discuss inclusion in the workplace. Ahva is the Co-founder and CEO of Symba, which provides an all-in-one platform to manage and scale company internship programs. Ahva recalls how remote internships in 2017 were considered an impossibility but this is no longer the case. Companies are now realising the value of early career investment.

Remote recruitment practices provide companies with a stronger reach, tapping into diverse schools and community colleges. Ahva gives a fascinating insight into how companies with an inclusive environment are improving retention and supporting the mental health of their workforce. She suggests some means of measuring inclusion and also provides us with some reasons why the HR community is becoming more aligned. A bumper episode for anyone seeking to foster and reap the benefits of a truly inclusive workplace environment. Enjoy the show!

This week we turn our attention to the success story behind the 1440 Newsletter which boasts almost two million subscribers at a time when fewer and fewer Americans trust News outlets. Busy professionals require unbiased news without motive. Tim Huelskamp, co-founder, and CEO of 1440 Media outlines some of the essential criteria which have led to 1440’s success. He states the importance of knowing, understanding, and delivering for the user and the importance of achieving a 40% retention rate before scaling and monetisation can take place. If this all-important open and retention rate is not reached, the business model is ultimately doomed to fail. Tim discusses the challenges he is confronted with and stresses the importance of being laser-focused on creating and delivering the best product in the world. This a fascinating insight for any budding entrepreneurs in this space or indeed in any industry. Enjoy the show!

This week we are turning our focus to the power of digital marketing. Marketing has always been about connecting with your audience in the right place and at the right time. Today, that means you need to meet them where they are already spending time on the internet.

I’m delighted to be joined by Courtney Rambo, one of the Co-founders and Directors of Intellitonic, an SEO and digital marketing agency. Courtney provides a thorough insight into the background of creating an effective digital marketing tool.

She outlines the importance of understanding where the company is currently positioned and where the competitors are. She examines several elements such as the strengths and weaknesses, the particular industry, how the website appears, and the use of keyword research to serve as a backbone of the overall strategy. Courtney outlines how keywords determine content and she takes a look at budgeting and results when using a paid platform. Finally and importantly what were the challenges they faced on the journey to establishing Intellitonic and how does the future look. This is a bumper show that provides a fascinating insight into digital marketing as an invaluable asset in any company’s success. Enjoy the show!

In the post-pandemic world, we live in today, the company website has become the core strategic asset. Effective conversational sales and marketing which take place via the website are driving more qualified leads in the customer pipeline. To discuss this essential element of the customer success journey I speak to Dan Darcy Chief Customer Officer at Qualified. Qualified enables companies to have valuable conversations with the right people using the website as the digital store frame. Qualified success architects do whatever it takes for customers to realise the value and role of the investment with Qualified. How has this been achieved? What model has been adapted and what are the future challenges? Get fired up, genuinely care about the success of customers and let the expansion numbers speak for themselves! Enjoy the show!

This week I’m delighted to discuss company culture with Wren Cotrone, Director of Customer Support at Agiloft. Wren believes that culture is the most important aspect of running a department. Over his career, Wren has seen the good, the bad and the ugly, including toxic red flags, so he’s got plenty of wisdom and advice to share. Treating people with respect and dignity, providing the best tools, and procedures can empower a workforce leading to personal success. Ultimately, this trickles down to, and manifests itself as an amazing customer experience. Wren points out how research such as the Forrester 2020 Report are playing their part, highlighting why companies can no longer neglect to invest in culture. A fascinating insight, where the stakes have never been so great. Enjoy the show.

Diversity and inclusion are widely recognised as key elements to any company's success. So why and how has advertising’s exclusion of the LGBTQIA+ online community come about? What impact is this having on LGBT creators who voice the community online?

To discuss this topic in greater detail, I’m delighted to be joined by Alex Parmar-Yee. Alex is responsible for Strategy at Awin UK and is also the author of the article “Embracing the LGBTQIA+ online community as part of your advertising strategy”. Alex is an advocate for a more inclusive society with the mantra that diverse teams produce better results. Publications have begun to disappear, creators are failing to monetise, and there is a diminishing level of online content. Brand safety lists have been instrumental in bringing this about. However, Alex believes that working with a partnership approach and engaging with more creators can lead to more brands embracing the community on a day-to-day business level. If brand safety moves towards understanding content as opposed to using lists of words such as gay, lesbian, etc will also bring about a positive change. A fascinating insight, enjoy the show.

It’s never an easy decision to move from one technology system to another in CX. Harvesting critical information to ensure customers are better served is of paramount importance but when the data isn’t always accurate, alarm bells begin to ring and the need to change becomes a lot clearer. To throw some light on the subject, I was delighted to have a conversation with Ben Gardner, Senior Director of Support at Drift who has first-hand knowledge when it comes to overseeing such a system transition. The move involved leaving Zendesk for Salesforce.

Ben gives a thorough overview of the entire process from start to finish. From why hiring somebody with the sole purpose to manage the service cloud implementation and manage the system thereafter was the best option, to the challenging bumps, and lessons along the way. Communication and sincere dialogue became key when addressing the concerns of internal users and Ben learned this the hard way. A fascinating insight with much wisdom and advice on offer. Enjoy the show!

When companies successfully understand the customer story and their conversations with customers, they can better shape the customer journey. This leads to more engaged customers that are passionate about who they are buying from.

To discuss this fascinating and critical topic in greater detail, I am delighted to be joined by Ben Rosenberg, Co-Founder of Rosencall Consulting. With over 12 years of experience in CX, Ben highlights the importance of measuring and understanding how the customer interacts with every facet of a company. He discusses the importance of communication channels and using the correct tools and mechanisms to understand the data. Feedback is at the heart of everything you do as a support organisation and providing feedback via the correct support mechanisms is crucial.

We discuss some of the common pain points and how the future looks in a more automated but human-driven customer experience. Enjoy the show!

In today’s fiercely competitive business landscape, success hinges much on the retention of employees. It is the people who are emerging as key competitive differentiators and retaining the talent has become a matter of paramount importance.

To discuss this phenomenon in greater detail, I’m delighted to be joined by Gary O'Connell, Vice President of Support Services at EMEA Sophos. Gary highlights the ever-shifting landscape of recruitment post covid pandemic. The candidate pool has been transformed given remote working possibilities from around the world.

However, establishing meaningful engagement between the company and its employees is challenging. Employees can feel isolated and disconnected and when constantly faced with such an array of new career opportunities, attrition is on the rise. Gary is dealing with these challenges head-on with a variety of creative initiatives. Introducing a new role known as an Employee Success Manager and The Buddy System are two critical strategies that are helping to combat attrition rates. With full-time remote working more popular than hybrid models, it is the new working norm. Companies now face the difficulty of trying to establish meaningful engagement with employees as they are consistently approached for new roles, never has the competition been greater or more intense. Tune in to discover the best survival skills.

An organisation’s success and competitiveness depend upon its ability to embrace diversity and realise the benefits. Workplace diversity refers to the variety of differences between people in an organisation. Diversity encompasses not just the obvious elements such as race, gender, etc., it also refers to different professional backgrounds and much more.

To discuss this in greater detail I'm delighted to be joined by Karla Kannan, Senior Vice President of Customer Success at BirchStreet Systems. Having successfully transitioned from the hospitality industry to the world of technology, Karla is in an ideal position to highlight the benefits of transferring skills from diverse industries in order to connect strongly and build meaningful customer relationships.

Karla believes passionately in the value of connecting different professional backgrounds with new roles to enhance customer service. When correctly directed, an organisation can move from being the customer’s vendor to a customer’s partner and truly make a difference. This is an excellent insight for everyone in the CX space.

Today’s economy is governed by the customer. Your customers choose exactly when and how they want to engage with your organisation. Thus the stakes have never been higher when investing in customer experience. Your internal processes impact the overall experience you deliver to your employees and your customers. Unfortunately, it’s often challenging to pinpoint where processes are causing problems or when and how is the right time to scale these processes.

To examine this in greater detail, I am delighted to be joined by Manuel Harnisch - Vice President, of Customer Service at People Data Labs. Manuel outlines precisely what a process is, its uses, high/low impact, frequency scenarios, and when is the right time to scale. We look at the pitfalls of scaling too soon and how human psychology plays a role. Finally, the million-dollar question, Build vs Buy, a future with human-assisted automation and millennials' contributions. It’s a bumper episode and a must for anyone in the customer services space.

This week Alan Rich, CEO of Y Meadows offers a fascinating insight into some of the most up-to-date technology which offers real value in customer support. Alan provides an overview of Natural Language Processing and Robotic Automation Systems. This technology determines the intent, performs entity extraction and determines the sentiment of tickets, and ultimately routes their journey. Natural Language Processing is constantly improving, delivering new functionality, helping agents to become more productive and build real relationships with customers. A must-listen for anyone in the customer support field.

How Do We Establish A Workplace Environment Where Employees Feel And Believe They Can Thrive? One where daily routines are engineered so that less confident, feel happy to contribute? I’m joined today to discuss this topic with Hans Donckers. Hans is CEO and Co-founder of two companies JiGSO and Beanmachine. The latter being a consultancy firm in Organisational Development and HR. He states that when addressing diversity and inclusion in the workplace today, we must look beyond more traditional issues of gender equality for example. When shy people feel safe and comfortable in the workplace the personal risk associated with speaking up becomes lower, therefore the richness and contributions of everyone are captivated. More sharing leads to a collective team win which is a company win! Excellent ideas for anyone seeking to nurture a fair and safe place by prioritising diversity and inclusion. Check out our conversion to learn more....

In any consumer-focused business, you’re asked to deal with more requests, more expectations, and faster conversion, every single day. To meet this staggering challenge, chatbots are rapidly becoming a must-have to drive efficiency, and truly multichannel with the power of conversational AI. To discuss more about this, I’m delighted to be joined by Amy Behbehani - Senior Director, Customer Service, and Operations at Uplift. With years of experience in building call center strategies and initiatives across different platforms Amy has experienced and seen it all in the fascinating world of chatbots. Check out Podcast to learn how Amy is using chatbots to interact with customers up to 500 times a day...

It really is all about the customer journey! In a report from Accenture in which they surveyed 8000 consumers around the world, 91% of those polled said that they are more likely to do business with brands that remember, recognise, and provide them with relevant recommendations and offers. There can be no personalisation without data. Never before has process and technology been such a critical element in improving CX and increasing customer lifetime value.

I’m delighted to be joined by Rory O’Brien, Director of Customer Experience at Tonkean. Together we look at the specific areas where leveraging technology boosts a company’s CX efforts. From data collection and interpretation to tracking and adjusting CX action, to chatbots in real-time. Let’s get straight to it then, enjoy the show!

How can we build a highly proactive Customer Experience? One which reduces and potentially eliminates tickets or issues on the customer support side of the business? This is exactly what my guest speaker today discusses. Niloy Chakravarty is the Director of Global Customer Support at Parsable. Since joining Parsable Niloy has identified the right model to secure future success. Creating a proactive customer experience has become his key goal, capturing and acting upon the customer's voice to avoid any later difficulties. Niloy shares this journey of moving from a reactive to a proactive model, what obstacles he met along the way, and the crucial role of data in setting any company on the road to customer experience excellence. Enjoy the show!

Creating a great customer experience for your business requires more than just good customer service. It requires getting to know your customers and how they use your product and this is exactly what my guest speaker has achieved.

I'm joined by the Head of Customer Success at Avatour, Parul Vij Chopra. She describes how they built the customer journey for their new product segment, a 360° view experience, a platform, which enables remote collaboration designed for site meetings.

Parul highlights two key features which enhance the customer journey. How the customer deploys the product and the value add it delivers. Capturing and analysing this information effectively has become the secret sauce for not only enhancing the customer experience but also developing a superior product. It wasn't all plain sailing and Parul shares with me some difficult challenges such as understanding the deployment process across many industries and just how they achieved success here. Check out our podcast to hear more fascinating insights on building a customer journey.

Parul's team is happy to answer any queries you might here via this link.

Companies are continuously searching for ways to improve customer satisfaction. Naturally, technology plays a critical role here. It can be the latest and greatest technology in the market but it also needs to be optimised to ensure happy customers.

I speak to Franklin Bruscianelli, Director of Sales Operations and Customer Service at IPwe, a platform for blockchain-enabled IP transactions. Franklin explains how working in this fascinating and innovative environment has enabled him to utilise the best technologies and solutions to address his customer’s needs.

Tune in to discover his winning strategies :-).

User experience has become the face of a company’s brand and one of the key differentiating factors in distinguishing one brand from a competitor. An exceptional customer experience, can lead to better customer loyalty and ultimately, market dominance.

In this week's podcast, I welcome back Tomas Sallies, Head of Customer Experience, PagoNxt. In our previous episode, Tomas shared his experience on how to achieve a better online CX in B2C. Now he returns to discuss his latest challenge in building a B2B CX from scratch with a new Fintech company. We look more closely at the challenges Tomas is facing, how he is overcoming them, and finally, how he strives to change the B2B experience. Tune in, enjoy!

Faced with challenging budgets, reduced headcounts, and increasingly complex client queries, how is CX evolving to meet these challenges?

In this week's podcast, I speak to Jennifer Castillo aka JC, director of customer support at DocNetwork.org. JC successfully supports more than 450,000 customers with a very small team and a little help from technology 🙂. This is no mean feat, how exactly is she doing it? Tune in to learn more!

A holistic customer experience is really knowing what your customer's meaningful business results are. Ultimately, this leads to customer loyalty and long-term relationships. Providers want to build such relationships and customers don’t want the costly expense of changing to a new provider.

In this week's podcast, I interview Seth Johnson, Head of Customer Experience at LearnUpon. Seth has a wealth of experience in this sector, and he outlines the critical importance of understanding the one thing that matters to customers.

Seth describes how everybody in every function across the organisation contributes to the customer experience, he outlines some interesting challenges he has encountered and how he overcame such difficulties. Finally realising that the customer’s needs and expectations are constantly evolving and actively discovering these needs are key to the holistic CX.

Check out the podcast for this fascinating insight into the value of a Holistic CX as Seth shares some of the strategies he has deployed and how technology has helped in supporting this.

In this week's Podcast, I check out the latest retail data trends including retail media networks, which has recently seen ad revenues of $31.1 billion for Amazon and $2.1 billion for Walmart in 2021.

How has the retail landscape changed? How are brands adapting and why are retail media networks key to the future of retail are some of the questions I pose to Oliver Klander, Commercial Lead at LiveRamp.

Join us to hear more about the leading retail trends to watch in 2022.

data #podcast #media #retail

Founding a startup is one of the most challenging and exciting experiences for any founder, but where does one begin?

What is Pre-Seed Funding? How does it work? How much do I need? How do I prepare, are just some of the questions I pose to Sam Keisner, who is an expert in venture capital and private equity and Founding Partner, GO10x Ventures.

This is a must-listen for any founder as Sam generously shares his expert insights to help founders secure their financial investment.

founders #funding #startups

This week I interview Marleen Wedler, CX enthusiast. As head of Customer experience at Expando Marleen shares her insight on how to generate meaningful innovation based upon customer feedback.

The central aim is to create a customer lead journey across your ECommerce platform. Marleen discusses how to structure a successful customer feedback chain. We look at the essential elements of planning, resources, and the importance of working together with your tech team as crucial components to deliver a customer-focused product/service.

This is a must-listen for anyone that is serious about optimising their customer journey!

Tune in to our latest episode as we’re joined by Arik Oslerne, the Chief Operating Officer of VAUBAN – a venture capital (VC) and private equity company seeking to democratize the venture capital landscape and break down the barriers to small-scale investing.

Investments, venture capital, and wealth management are all concepts traditionally associated with the ultra-wealthy; those with millions’ worth of capital and a swath of investments offering them high returns; thus, perpetuating the “the rich get richer” cycle we often hear about.

Aided by advances in technology and COVID-19, VAUBAN has been challenging this notion, by redefining the investment space and allowing those with smaller tickets to enter the VC ecosystem and reap benefits previously inaccessible to them.

Learn more about changes unraveling in the world of investing, some of the challenges it faces, and Arik’s thoughts on its future.

In today’s episode, we chat with Louise O’Neill of the Berkley Group, who tells us more about the much-discussed issue of tech talent shortage and the challenges facing recruiters in trying to source such talent.

For reasons such as COVID-19, increasing digitization and the rising number of new tech startups, the scarcity of tech talent has become more apparent than ever. As a result, Louise describes this space as a ‘candidate’s market’, making the fight for tech talent extremely difficult. In order to compete for much sought-after candidates, companies are increasingly required to come up with desirable and innovative packages, not to mention the appeal of exciting projects first and foremost!

Tune in to learn more about this issue and find out what strategies Louise and her team have been employing to overcome this challenge for their clients.

In this episode, we sit down with Eugene O’Brien, the CEO of Big Fan Collectibles, who sheds light on one of the latest and most exciting additions to the blockchain space – NFTs – and how they have been taking the sports world by storm.

While a lot of intimidating jargon often surrounds this novel piece of technology, NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, are quite simply digital, non-interchangeable digital assets. Think sports cards, drawings, music, or – as Eugene tells us – even tweets. The thing that’s so exciting about NFTs is that they’ve been paving a new way for companies, sports clubs, creators, and artists to engage with their audiences, and do so on a "peer-to-peer " level. NFTs’ main premise is to give buyers something that can’t be copied: ownership rights of the original asset; ultimately giving them a say in the future of the company they’re buying from.

Tune in to find out more about BigFan, NFTs as well as what the future holds in stock for them.

Tune in to our most recent episode where we take a deep dive into the world of DeFi (decentralised finance) with Anders Christensen and Matthijs De Vries of AllianceBlock.

Anders and Matthijs crossed paths a few years ago and quickly connected over their discussions of blockchain and crypto. Aware of its issues, but also the opportunities that lay ahead for the industry, the two set out to create a safe, user-friendly, and collaborative space to meet soaring demand from crypto investors.

Have a listen to learn more about how AllianceBlock has been transforming the space and gradually bridging the gap between Defi and traditional finance.

Research shows that roughly 1 in 3 invoices go unpaid past their due date. As a result, countless small businesses, freelancers, and tradespeople spend a large portion of their time chasing up late payments. The ramifications of this, particularly in the COVID era, can be serious and highly destructive to small businesses trying to stay afloat.

On this week's podcast, I speak to Ravi Jakhodia, the Co-Founder and CEO of Coupay - a FinTech software company on a mission to make late invoice payments a thing of the past. Ravi has decided to reverse the trend, by bringing invoice payments up to speed with our digitally-enabled lives. The podcast provides great insights into payments for small businesses as well as some great takeaways from Ravi on how he set up a new company to address a problem he experienced from buying a car. Enjoy the podcast :-).

fintech #Entrepreneur #startups

Marketing gurus have been telling us for years that video content is fast becoming the most powerful marketing tool. What they haven’t told us is how to make your content appeal to more than one audience segment - after all, why invest unspeakable amounts of money into a campaign that’s limited by its country of origin’s borders?

Founder and CEO of Think Jam and an indisputable trailblazer in the AdTech space, Daniel Robey, is here to tell us all that marketing experts haven’t - namely how to make the constraints of language and cultural nuance a mere formality rather than an obstacle that could sink a company’s budget. The answer comes in the form of Daniel’s state-of-the-art versioning tool, an incredible piece of technology that enables brands to get their content to the right people, with the right message, at the right time, and do far more with a lot less.

Tune in to hear more about the waves Think Jam has been making in the advertising space.

In this week’s podcast, we inadvertently touch on a debate that has yet to be settled. Which is more important: an idea or its execution? With countless aspiring entrepreneurs hoping to come up with the next big thing; that will compete with Facebook or Amazon, many also underestimate the skills, capital, and resources required to realise this new product or service.

Trevor Newberry, the Founder of Newberry Consulting and Director of Product Delivery at Harmony Venture Labs, understands better than most the common challenges and pitfalls involved in building a software product as a non-technical founder. There are many ways to self-sabotage when it comes to software product execution. From rushing into the development stage too quickly, failing to diligently validate the product at every stage of the process, to overspending on marketing and advertising. Tune in, to learn more about how to get it right by anticipating and avoiding the stumbling blocks that could lead to software development failure.

Blockchain is one of the 21st century’s most exciting new technology. Despite the rapid evolution and adoption of blockchain across many industries, it has presented regulators with the challenge of managing blockchain and crypto assets without hindering their growth.

Such challenges are why associations such as INATBA (International Association for Trusted Blockchain Applications) have become crucial to support regulators in drafting policies that are more innovative than inhibitory. In this week's podcast, I have a fascinating conversation with Marc Taverner, Executive Director of INATBA on the current key issues, solutions, and what the future holds.

In this week’s podcast, I get a fascinating insight into the latest trends in AI & ML with Sean Muller. With nearly 30 years experience in the industry, Sean helps businesses achieve radical growth by architecting innovative digital transformations.

He outlines some of the major challenges and the possible solutions that face the sector today and into the future. An incredibly exciting space with both hugely positive capabilities or devastating potential.

Never before has the entire essence of work evolved so dramatically as it has in recent times. What then could the future hold for workers around the globe? With almost 40% of the US workforce working remotely at the height of the pandemic and the ever-growing popularity of the On-Demand workforce, together with constantly evolving technologies, a new shift is currently impacting every facet of work. In his latest book, “The End of Jobs: The Rise of On-Demand Workers and Agile Corporations” best-selling author and entrepreneur, Jeff Wald offers a realistic prediction of what the near and medium future of work is including the key challenges ahead such as upskilling millions of workers. This is a fascinating insight into the new generation of work and its workers. Enjoy!

This week I have the pleasure of reinterviewing Greg Watts CEO and co-founder of Findr, one year on from the launch date. Launching a tech business from home in a pandemic was a daunting prospect. Greg shares his invaluable experience on some of the key challenges he overcame including how he successfully secured investors in a new virtual setting, offering not only a lifeline but invaluable advice and support. He also outlines the advantages of adopting a hybrid flexible model which in his experience has led to increased productivity and focus. Findr is an inspirational success story going from strength to strength and a must-listen for any entrepreneur.

In this week’s podcast, we get a fascinating insight into the world of Fintech customer experience from Tomas Sallies, Head of Customer Experience at Curve. Curve is a London-based Fintech that combines multiple cards and accounts into one smart card and an even smarter app.

Tomas describes the best customer experience as one that never happens. He provides an excellent insight into how his team achieves a better online customer experience, addressing current customer behaviours and expectations. Tomas identifies some of the challenges and possible solutions to overcome these. He also looks to the future with some exciting new plans. Enjoy the show 😀.

With spending on Regulatory Technology estimated to rise by an average of 48% per annum to $76.3 billion in 2022, our Fintech series continues this week by taking a closer look at regulatory technology with industry guru, Rick Dupree.

As CEO & founder of Riskliance, Rick has held several business, risk, compliance, and operations roles at regional, national, and global financial services firms. He is a contributor to industry articles, panels, webinars and sits on several RegTech advisor boards including Compliance.ai and 4US. With vast experience and a wealth of information to share in this fascinating sector, we discuss the RegTech evolution, current trends, and the future landscape in this rapidly expanding market. Enjoy the show.

I recently had the pleasure to talk to Andy Skipper, founder of CTO Craft, the UK’s first learning and coaching network built for engineering managers, CTO’s and tech. Covid-19 has brought a greater need for CTOs to manage the challenge of decreased morale and resilience amongst colleagues. The importance of trust was never so crucial in a new workplace environment. Andy provides the best solutions to overcome such difficulties through effective coaching and outlines a picture of what the future might hold.

My guest today is Nuri Otus, founder, and CEO of Txtsmarter. Over 6 trillion imessages and 145 billion SMS/MMS messages are sent each day. However mobile carriers do not store text messages. Nuri realised at first hand the risk this poses for businesses. It was a dramatic, life-changing event that led to the creation of Txtsmarter and Nuri has never looked back as his company was recently shortlisted for the 2021 RegTech Insight Awards. Enjoy this very honest recount where success is born out of the darkest of times.

This week I speak to Richard Rodgers, Global Digital Marketing Director for Agilent Technologies. Richard has always been passionate about start-ups from a young age, forming his first company at just sixteen. With a lifetime of experience in marketing and growing businesses, Richard speaks about the importance of account-based marketing, identifying the right client at the right time, and delivering a message which targets and addresses their specific pain point. In our chat, Richard shares his invaluable advice, his success stories, and his failures along his incredible entrepreneurial journey.

This week I speak to Richard Rodgers, Global Digital Marketing Director for Agilent Technologies. Richard has always been passionate about start-ups from a young age, forming his first company at just sixteen. With a lifetime of experience in marketing and growing businesses, Richard speaks about the importance of account-based marketing, identifying the right client at the right time, and delivering a message which targets and addresses their specific pain point. In our chat, Richard shares his invaluable advice, his success stories, and his failures along his incredible entrepreneurial journey.

digital #entrepreneurship #marketing #startups

In this second episode in a special series of Fintech podcasts, we take a closer look at Old Vs New in Fintech, current trends and the exciting prospect of one company’s mission to create one eco system for everyone to trade across without a middleman.

I speak to Anders Christensen, Head of the Avaloq.one Ecosystem at Avaloq. As an experienced banking and Fintech expert, Anders works in the international banking software industry. At Avaloq.one, he focuses on developing the Fintech eco-system, connecting end-client needs to great experiences. Thanks for your invaluable insight Anders. Enjoy!

The Fintech industry market value is expected to be $305 billion by 2025 as an increasing number of financial services become disrupted and replaced by new technologies. In my new series of Fintech industry podcasts, we examine the latest technology, trends, and challenges facing this fascinating industry.

My first guest is Dan Feaheny, founder of Feeney Ventures Ltd, assisting and advising the next generation of Fintechs. In this episode, Dan shares his valuable insights from working within various fintechs across the world. We look closely at current trends and what the future holds. I hope you enjoy the interview as much as I have :-).

In this week’s podcast, we discuss personal agility with authors Michal Raczka and Raji Sivaraman. Their latest book, Discoveries Through Personal Agility a book for all industries looks at the importance of developing an agile mindset for business and professionals. Michal and Raji share their invaluable insights and how their personal agility model is helping companies, now more than ever at a crucial economic time for so many organisations. Enjoy the show :-)

Discoveries Through Personal Agility

This week Marc Einstein shares his fascinating insight into the world of technology in Japan. As Chief Analyst at the ITR Corporation in Japan and with more than15 years’ experience in telecommunications & media, Marc is a frequent subject matter expert on international TV broadcasts of CNN, CNBC, BBC Global, and Channel News Asia. Marc outlines how COVID 19 has caused major changes in the way people work in Japan and the opportunities it has created for tech companies that sell their services and software there.

I also talk to Marc about his new book Tech Native Company: 7 Strategies to Survive the Digital Age where he explains how a virtual strategy will be the next big disruptor after digital as companies move towards mainstream use of VR and other virtual technologies.

This podcast is an excellent insight to learn about future technology and also for anyone considering the Japanese market for their tech product or service!

This week I discuss Virtual Training with Travis May, winner of several globally recognised innovation and technology awards. As a Director of Technology and Innovation at a major international company, Travis looks at opportunities to collaborate, optimise, and modernise processes across the business, thus positioning teams for success. According to research by the SAVO Group, a staggering 90% of employees that receive training, forget the subject material within 6 months, with a further 65% forgetting, within the first week. For too many companies, training has become little more than a check the box process, futile and expensive.

With this in mind, Travis embarked on a journey towards a more effective and engaging means of providing staff training. He identified lack of engagement as a major problem within traditional training. Through research and innovation Virtual training presented as the winning formula. Travis discusses his experience of this process, the enormous benefits of virtual training including ROI, and how he is now applying this to other areas of the business. Thank you for listening, enjoy.

This week I am delighted to chat with Karen Weeks, SVP People at Ordergroove in New York. With a massive wealth of knowledge in the HR field, Karen shares her insight with me on how best to build a culture in tech startups, when to introduce HR to a tech company, and her view on the key elements to implement a successful HR strategy, especially given the new dynamics that exist in a Covid 19 world.

As a podcast host, a professional coach, and a management and HR strategy teacher, Karen has quickly risen to the forefront of her sector. She was named one of the 2020 Notable Women in Talent by Crain’s New York Business and has been a driving force behind Ordergroove's enviable success in winning Best Companies to Work for in New York two years in a row. A must listen to for tech companies and tech startups alike that want to stay ahead of the HR curve.

This week's podcast revisits the ever topical Blockchain and Cryptocurrency discussion. The global blockchain technology market is estimated to accumulate a staggering $20 billion in revenue by 2024. Gartner state, blockchain only comes second to artificial intelligence and machine learning as the most disruptive technologies in recent times.

With all of this in mind, I get an update on this fascinating phenomenon from Pete Townsend, founding partner of Norio Ventures, a Fintech advisory firm. Pete is also a co-host of the hugely popular podcast, Money Never Sleeps as well as serving on several Fintech company boards including Coinbase.

Following the huge hype and investment in Blockchain a few years ago, Pete brings us up to speed with the most recent developments and what current trends are. He provides an insight into FundAdminChain and Archax as case studies which are some great examples changing the world of finance. Pete is a passionate Blockchain enthusiast, he shares exciting future predictions with us and the reasons why Blockchain & digital assets are only beginning to take off. Enjoy the show :-).

Traditionally, Poland has a strong scientific base in life sciences and medicine but has been driven by the generic marketplace up until recently. However, in the last decade, we have seen enormous innovation with multiples of start-ups being founded and raising private capital. Health-related industries are now among the most rapidly-expanding innovation sectors in Poland.

I speak to Szymon Bernat, the founder of Innomed Book, which is an application to showcase health innovations developed by Polish start-ups and academics. In this podcast, Szymon discusses everything related to life science in Poland as well as some inspiring stories of start-ups, including the challenges these companies are facing. The trends show huge potential for life science in Poland.

This is the question I asked the winning team from the IPMA Hackdays 2020 event. It was a pleasure to co-chair my first virtual Hackathon around project management along with Raji Sivaraman & Marisa Silva. This was an incredibly successful event despite the remote challenges. In this week’s podcast, I go behind the scenes and ask the victorious team about their winning formula on Self-Organisation .

The team shares their experience and the challenges they faced to work remotely for the first time together, brainstorming and resolving challenging difficulties. We also take a closer look at some of the collaboration tools, aspects of leadership, some key takeaway points, and finally, lessons learned.

Huge congrats to the winners; Erik Mansson, EwaSońta-Drączkowska, Birgit Gensar, and Slawomir Wawak who together came up with a solution for "Motivation and Capabilities of Individuals towards Self-Organisation".

In this week’s podcast, I speak to Peter Krishnan, founder of InfinAl, a platform to help you understand where you are and where you want to be. Peter was becoming increasingly frustrated by his inability to capitalise on his vast array of accumulated knowledge. He discovered first-hand how spending large amounts of precious time learning about ways to improve one’s life is not always enough on its own.

With this in mind, he set about building InfinAI, a platform to help you better understand their inner mind, to realise happiness in the here and now, achieving a better future in your career, home, or personally.

We learn about how Peter built a creative learning loop framework via his platform InfinAI to assist with learning reinforcement based on a series of academic and proven frameworks such as the 7 habits of highly successful people and teachings from leading minds such as Tim Ferriss, Reid Hoffman, and Gary Vaynerchuck.

This is a must-listen for anyone seeking to enhance their personal development.

Our AdTech mini-series continues this week as I delve into the world of video advertising with Spirable Cofounder, Ger O’Meara. Ger envisages a better future for marketing using exciting and relevant data-driven video ads.

We discuss many dimensions of this fascinating tech, such as how retailers are adapting to the Covid-19 crisis using video marketing to stay connected with customers. We take a look at the strategies companies are using when optimising the many social media channels and what are the future trends in this rapidly evolving space.

adtech #data #marketing

To answer this question, I turn to Adtech enthusiast and expert, Oliver Klander, Vice President of Sales at Think Jam. Oliver is a regular speaker at industry-leading events across Europe, including DMEXCO. With vast experience in Media, Data, and Technology, Oliver predicts considerable changes in Adtech over the next 18 to 24 months. We discuss the future of engagement marketing, the many issues around privacy, and what will be the impact of the 3rd Party Cookie demise. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did 😀.

#adtech #privacy #marketing

How do you go about building a product that your customer will love and what does a good product mean? These are some of the questions I put to Benjamin Horst, a product strategist, and CEO at EvolvEd Technologies. As a former product manager at Bloomberg, Ben shares his wealth of experience on product design, how to reach your customer, and at what stage do you build a revenue model? Ben is currently building a very exciting EdTech platform and learning community, however, he also finds time to speak at the product school in New York giving industry insights and participating as a product design critic. This is a must listen for anyone looking to make the perfect product launch!

Technology and data are transforming who, what and how we trust. Never before have online security and trust been more crucial. I speak to Derek Gottfrid, cofounder of Caisson, a New York based company who have built numerous products centered on trust. Derek & his cofounder Ken Little identified that most systems available are either a loose workaround or overly complicated. There was a gap in the market for a better solution.

Derek shares his entrepreneurial journey and what led him to address the problem of trust. He gives an overview of online trust, today and how it is being addressed in both the EU, the US and more importantly, Derek shares his thoughts on what the future holds in this fascinating topic.

Data #Privacy #Trust

SaaS Market revenue is expected to grow by 17% this year to 94.2 billion dollars in 2020. I discuss the phenomenal potential of SaaS in Central and Eastern Europe with Derek McDonnell, Sales Director at Elastic, a leading Source Security, Search & Analytics application. With almost 20 year’s experience in sales technology in the CEE region,

Derek shares his wealth of knowledge in this rapidly growing market. This is a must-listen for everything you need to know about selling in the CEE region from researching the market place, overcoming challenges, and achieving success in this incredibly fast-moving field. Enjoy the show 😀.

In this week’s Podcast, we discover everything about AR and learn how it is solving industries' toughest problems. I have a very insightful discussion with Scope AR CEO, Scott Montgomerie who is based in San Francisco. Working with some of the world’s leading multinational companies and government agencies, Scope AR is leading the way in this emerging market, using the latest in augmented glasses and software to provide an incredible real-time 3D overlay training solution.

Scott has been working in this space since 2012 and with the much anticipated Apple iPhone with 3D camera, he believes this will take AR apps to a whole new level. Scott shares his own fascinating journey with us including some essential tips to be successful in this field. A must listen to discover more about this fascinating technology.

The global gaming market is expected to grow to $256.97 billion by 2025. How then, can one enter this very attractive industry without massive funding? Simple, Niche Gaming! Colin Cragg is the creative director of Toadman Interactive and the Cofounder of RazorSecure. Colin has had huge success in the niche gaming space, working on games such as Anarchy Online with Funcom and Star Stable with Star Stable Entertainment.

Colin shares his incredible experiences and offers unmissable advice for anyone that wants to develop the next big hit in niche gaming. Enjoy!

In the fifth instalment of our gaming series, I enjoy an enlightening chat with a lively and straight-talking guest, Hendrik Lesser, CEO of Remote Control Productions, Europe’s biggest game developer family with 20 teams in 4 countries. Based in Munich, Hendrik discovered a love of gaming at the age of 4 and this passionate hobby has also led him to become President of the European Games Developer Federation, EGDF.

Hendrik formulates partnerships with game companies enabling them to focus on core development, while his team of experts manages all the other business functions. He is an avid believer in giving back and this year, Hendrik set up the European Games BizDev Gathering to support game developers survive during this unparalleled Covid-19 crisis. Hendrik gives a fascinating insight and shares some invaluable lessons he has learned over the years in the gaming industry. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did 😀!

We continue our gaming podcast series this week returning to Stockholm to chat with Tommy Palm, CEO of Resolution Games. Last year Tommy received the prestigious Mobile Legend accolade at the Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards 2019 for his lifetime achievement and success in mobile gaming. Tommy discusses his early career path and how it evolved from building games using Nokia and Ericson to becoming a key figure in multiplayer gaming and games such as Candy Crush Saga.

Tommy compares the future of AR/VR gaming to the revolutionising internet phenomenon. He is passionate about what the future holds in this fascinating sector. He gives a candid opinion about the very positive benefits of gaming in the lives of certain people and his aspirations for it to be used as an educational tool. Tommy also fills us in on his two eagerly awaited VR games, Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale and Blaston., which will be launched very soon 😀. This is a must-listen for enthusiasts of this amazing industry and loyal gaming fans around the world.

Our gaming podcast series continues this week with an inspirational story from Robin Flodin, CEO of Enad Global 7. Based in Stockholm, Robin began programming at the young age of 11. Early success followed soon after, with his game, Dwarfs, selling 250k units. How then did he almost lose it all? How did failure ultimately lead him to the success he enjoys today as company CEO listed on the stock exchange. Robin believes his early and harsh failure taught him essential lessons to achieve and realise his position today, sharing invaluable advice, strategies, and insight with us in this incredibly admirable story.

In this second gaming podcast episode, I interview Tom Beardsmore, CEO & co-founder of Coatsink. At Coatslink software, Tom’s mission is to create games that players love. When it comes to achieving success in the early days, Tom quickly realised that essential partnerships were crucial. He also saw the importance of investing in and being surrounded by the right people. Tom shares his experience and insight into surviving those early days and ultimately transforming a gaming idea into a hugely successful gaming business.

With expected revenues for 2020, in excess of $159B, the gaming industry has never been so vibrant. This week is the first in a series of gaming industry podcasts. My first guest is Gavin Isaacs, a Gaming Executive, based in Las Vegas with over 20 years of experience in this fascinating sector. Gavin shares with me his incredible journey from developing penny slots to digital gaming. He shares his valuable insight into dealing with competition, innovating, learning from mistakes, and the importance of being surrounded by the right people.

This week we turn our attention to one company’s development of the virtual door entry and exit system. I chat with Paul Sheedy, founder of Unifi.id. Paul outlines the benefits of the contactless door in terms of security, safety, and its vast potential. Not only in an effort to avoid disasters such as Grenfell in London but it’s practical uses to monitor student’s attendance and potentially curb the spread of Covid-19. Paul shares his entrepreneurial journey with us, how he overcame the challenges of the Chinese market, and internationalising a product. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did :-).

In this week’s podcast, Culture means people, what they value, and what they bring to the organisation. It is constantly changing and not just a statement on a wall. This is what Nicolas Blier-Silvestri, founder of Platypus truly believes.

Having made a successful career in HR & recruitment all over the world, he knows and understands the importance of an organisations culture. Some companies believe a mission statement determines an organisations culture. Nico highlights this as a flawed practice. A mission statement is a moral compass or goals, It does not evolve. Culture, in contrast, is derived from the values of its people and is naturally continuously changing. Nico realised the value of being able to empower HR, to give them the tools to act upon ever-changing values amongst employees. Supplying data and making changes based on this data is crucial. 89% of people who leave their job within the first 18 months, do so because of a misaligned cultural fit.

Listen in and let me know your thoughts on what Culture means to you?

This week I pick up my conversation once again with Malgorzata Kusyk, founder of AgilePMO & Akademia Zwinnej Liderki. As an expert leader in her field of coaching, we discuss trust as a fundamental element between leaders and remote teams. Trust was never more prevalent, with more and more employees working from home. Trust can present major challenges for employees however Malgorzata has many suggestions to build, retain, and even restore trust in teams.

This week we hear from Lindsay West, cofounder of Mixed Reality company VISR. Based in Hull, North of England, Lindsay saw at first hand the enormous talent shortfall in the region. Attracting and retaining a skilled and innovative workforce was a major obstacle in this area. 40% of tech talent would stay local if they had the opportunities - Lindsay has worked tirelessly to overcome this challenge. His vision to create and offer highly skilled and sought after job opportunities to local people is gradually becoming a reality by encouraging local people into coding and similar fields, Hull could attract foreign and local Tech investment, ultimately ending the brain drain and capitalising on a massive opportunity for the region.

In my latest podcast, I interview Dragan Milanovich. As VP of Engineering at Nutanix, a cloud services company based in Silicon Valley, he set up remote teams, working in tandem to optimise their polar locations. Dragan shares his experience of how such teams, facilitate a longer working day, with increased productivity and efficiency. Problems can be resolved overnight and team diversity adds a greater balance in skillset. Dragon discusses exactly what’s involved when setting up a successful Follow the Sun model.

This week we learn how the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in a surge in demand for the Care to Translate, innovative medical translation app. I discuss the viral growth in this healthcare translator app with co-founder and COO, of Care to Translate, Maja Magnusson. As a female entrepreneur, she throws light on the benefits of starting a business in Sweden. We look at the challenging obstacles and the inspiring vision which is fast becoming a reality. Technology assisting medical efficiency by removing the human interpreter.

As a passionate believer in commercial partnerships, I turn my attention this week to Findr CEO, Greg Watts. Findr is a new and exciting AI matching platform for fintechs. Greg shares the strategies he employs when developing a successful business partnership. Benefits can be limitless and with fewer challenges, successful partnerships are not only desirable but key to business success.

This week we turn our attention to the fascinating Hyperloop as potentially the future of transport? The Hyperloop is the brainchild of Elon Musk, founder of Tesla. I interview Paul Neuhausen, who is directly involved with this futuristic project. The Hyperloop will travel at speeds approaching that of the Mach 1. In the midst of a rapidly changing social dynamic are we ready for the Hyperloop as a mode of transport?

In this week’s podcast, I have a fascinating conversion with Elzbieta Mrozek, an innovation specialist, and an international business advisor. As a Stanford graduate, she discusses her studies of international attitudes towards failure and the crucial role of collaboration in successful innovation. How do some countries boast a “never give up attitude’? The answer is in its history.

In this week's podcast, I have an enlightening conversation with Malgorzata Kusyk, the founder of AgilePMO & Akademia Zwinnej Liderki. As an expert leader in her field of coaching female executives, we discuss the challenges faced by women in leadership & technology in Poland.

Similar to other countries, Poland faces difficult challenges in attracting a greater proportion of women in the technology sector. Currently, in Poland, only 1 in 5 women pursue a career in science. 58% of all third-level students are female but only 14.6% study IT. Malgorzata explains the reasons for this and how she along with successful organisations such as Geek Girls Carrots and Women in Technology are encouraging more women to move into leadership and tech roles.

Malgorzata shares some of her own personal beliefs. Success follows happiness, being central to her core values.

This week I speak to the directors of the Wolves summit. Martin and Mike share with us the unenviable prospect of canceling their event due to #COVID19. With a meer 11 days before the summit, they would have incurred massive losses, had they not successfully moved the #event online. This process prompted them to create a new monthly #event service to connect #investors and #startups.

Listen to how this was achieved with amazing #creativity and #innovation from the Wolf pack team alongside exceptional #technological support courtesy of Hopin and Microsoft Teams platforms. Learn from the challenges they overcame to successfully host this 2-day event with 2,500 attendees incorporating 4,500 1:1 meetings.

Phenomenal thinking outside the box!

virtualevents #events #innovation #covid19 # Poland

In this week's podcast, I speak to Borys Musielak, cofounder and managing partner at SMOK Ventures, a Polish-American fund that invests in early-stage startups in Poland. We talk about:

Why VC's are targeting Poland? Where is the venture capital funding being invested? Startups in Poland? How to set up a VC in Poland? What are the challenges? How is Covid-19 impacting funding?

Borys gives us an in-depth insight into innovation and investing in Poland, This is a must-listen if you would like to learn more about this thriving sector.

In this week's podcast episode, my guest is Eoin McCoy who has successfully set up and run multiple centres over the last 20 years in Krakow for companies such as Oanda, IG, GE Healthcare, Huawei & Sabre. He answers questions such as:

Why he choose Poland?
How would you set up a centre here?
Biggest challenges and how to overcome them?

This is extremely valuable knowledge Eoin shares, so learn from his experiences and check out the podcast.

We all know Polish IT engineers are fantastic but the country does not rank very well in the #innovation reports. This is because of the way #innovation is measured and it is not a true reflection of the country.

I believe Poland is rapidly becoming a country of #entrepreneurship, #innovation, and #openness and this week's podcast is a great example of this as I learn all about Space technology, which up until 5 years ago was unheard of here. I speak to Greg, the cofounder of SatRevolution.

I learn about his incredible entrepreneurial journey from starting in the restaurant business to gaming where his company T-Bull currently has over 500 million users with titles such as Top Speed.

He always loved Space and in 2016 co-founded SatRevolution to develop satellites and will launch 5 satellites this year, which were designed and built-in Poland. His vision is to be the biggest company in real-time imaging with over 1000 satellites.

I loved listening to Greg's fascinating story and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did :-). As always please leave your comments.

How can your company successfully enter, grow, innovate and export sales in #Poland?

Poland is a massive market of 40 million people and is in the top 3 fastest growing economies of Europe.

I speak with Bartosz Siepracki, Senior Market Adviser ICT Enterprise Ireland (responsible for Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia; Digital Entertainment Global Lead). He shares his knowledge of:

Helping Irish companies enter the Polish market. Talent in Poland. Overview of the cities and their industries. Challenges of doing business in Poland. Potential partners and agencies e.g. ARAW and Polish, Investment & Trade Agency. Some success stories e.g. Horan automation and Foodcloud.

This is a MUST, for anyone thinking about, or already doing business in Poland.

As always, please share your comments and give us a review.

Thanks

Ken

It was fantastic to chat with Gareth Lewis and hear his experiences of delivering global AI and Blockchain solutions from Poland for UBS Bank. It was also great to get his insights on emerging technology trends in Poland.

Gareth is the founder of PopLocker crypto wallet. Prior to this he was the Head of Investment bank Technology at UBS bank for Poland and Eastern Europe. He has over 20 years experience in the Finance domain with expertise in FinTech, blockchain research and emerging financial technologies.

Please do leave comments to share your experiences?

Enjoy the Podcast

Ken

We speak to Martin about Poland, the quality of talent, and how he built up Bank of New York Mellon's delivery center from 85 to over 1500 people.

He currently leads the Wolves summit, one of the largest technology conferences in Poland. Prior to this, he was the MD of BNY Mellon and during this time he was also the Vice president of the ABSL, which is the leading organization representing the business sector in Poland. Martin has over 30 years of experience with 14 of these years in Eastern Europe.

This is a great listen for people who want to learn about more Poland, the quality of talent there, and how to access and build your talent there.