C&C Pod - Sharpie Mustaches with Chris Hauca - SVP Commerce, EXM & Strategy at Hero Digital

This week, Bill and I are joined by Chris Hauca - SVP Commerce, Experience Management, & Strategy at Hero Digital. Chris is SVP of Technology Solutions at Hero Digital - working closely with Hero’s clients on their technology journeys. Chris has a unique background in commerce, having been a Managing Director and senior leader for many years at Accenture and Acquity Group, but also making the jump to the software side - leading product management at SAP Commerce Cloud before getting back into services with Hero. Bill & I have had the pleasure of knowing Chris for many years now, and it's a pleasure to bring him on the show.

So pour yourself something to sip along with us and enjoy the conversation.

Cheers!

Chapters

Introductions and Sharpie Mustaches!

09:11 - Building Strong Partnerships

18:18 - Accelerators as Strategic SI Offerings

25:37 - Standardized Solutions and Driving Business Results

29:00 - Aligning a Services Organization for Success

32:18 - Recalling a Night Out (Ha!)

34:39 - The Future of SIs in Composable Solutions

39:29 - Attacking Complexity in Orchestration

43:06 - The Role of SIs in Integration

50:06 - The Impact of Composability on SIs

57:50 - The Role of AI in De-risking Projects and The Disruptive Potential of AI

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This week’s cocktail - a Sharpie Mustache

One of the most recognized and well-traveled drinks to come out of one of our favorite bars - New York’s Amor y Amargo - the Sharpie Mustache was created by AyA bartender Chris Elford. Elford now lives and works in Seattle, but when he was at Amor y Amargo in 2011 and 2012, he happened to be on an Amaro Meletti kick when a guest asked for the dealer’s choice. Elford recalled that splitting the bases, rye and gin seemed like “strange but awesome bedfellows,” and the tiki bitters and orange twist “made the drink pop.”

The drink has a unique blend of rye whiskey and gin - combining the spice of rye with the botanical notes of gin - along with bitter, herbaceous, and carmel notes from the Bonal and Meletti. The drink delivers a complex, spirit-forward experience while managing to be well balanced. It also happens to be one that can be easily pre-batched and bottled (or put in a flask!) and was originally served in a small bottle with a mustache sticker on it at Amor y Amaro.

Cheers!

Sharpie Mustache Cocktail Spec, Serves One

3/4 oz (~25 ml) - Dry Gin

3/4 oz (~25 ml) - Rye whiskey

3/4 oz (~25 ml) - Amaro Meletti

3/4 oz (~25 ml) - Bonal Gentiane-Quina

2 dashes (20 drops) - Tiki Bitters Elemakule cocktail bitters

Garnish - Orange Twist

The process:

Add ingredients into a mixing glass. Add ice and stir. Double Strain into a chilled Nick & Nora cocktail glass of whatever glass you have on hand. Garnish and enjoy!

There is plenty of room for others at the cocktail party! Why not share a drink and an interesting perspective to talk about while you enjoy it! Please share with you network or workplace today. Thank you!

As always, it’s great to have you here! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share, rate (it helps!), and let us know your thoughts. We love to hear from our listeners. 

Be well, be safe, and here is to good business! Cheers! - Brian & Bill

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