A Geek Leader Podcast - inspiring technical and creative leaders around the world

About Jimmy Jimmy Burroughes is a leadership expert on a mission to change the way we achieve results. With over two decades of experience as an Officer in the British Military and a track record of success as a people leader in top global organizations. MBA and extensively qualified as a coach and facilitator, Jimmy has developed a passion for building high-performance cultures by making the complexity of better performance simple, and therefore easier to apply. He and his team have developed a proven facilitation-led approach and delivered in some of the world’s largest organizations. Jimmy hosts his own podcast and is also the author of Beat Burnout – Ignite Performance. It’s the leader’s guide to building a high-performance team. The book was the product of multiple years of research, working with 7 to 12-figure businesses all over the world and taking those best practices and distilling them down into five simple variables. He can share insights incorporating elements of neuroscience, behavioural science, energetics, and a variety of standard leadership concepts Jimmy is a highly engaging guest, who is a specialist in simplifying high-performance concepts into a format that will both engage and encourage your listeners to try new things. Outside of work, Jimmy splits his time between living at the beach in Los Cabos scuba diving, or in central Mexico, hill running, whilst constantly searching for his next property project with his partner and dog. Today We Talked About Jimmy’s background Military Leadership Leadership by fire Military Leadership into Corporate Leadership Have a good Staff Sargent Act as an information Conduit Tap into the talent of those around you Prioritization and Decisions Pay if forward Provide Safety Rails Ego If you don’t know what Great looks like, Design Terrible Beating Burnout Purpose Abundance Connection Exploration Downtime Purpose Your Purpose Team’s Purpose Organization’s Purpose Purposes need to be aligned Book Connect with Jimmy Website Podcast Book LinkedIn Leave me a tip $ Click here to Donate to the show I hope you enjoyed this show, please head over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe and leave me a rating and review, even one sentence will help spread the word.  Thanks again! A2 Hosting I’ve been using A2 Hosting for several years.  They offer state of the art SSD hosting for all of their plans.  Their sites are super fast and easy to setup.  I rarely need support, but when I was migrating my sites to a larger plan I used their support services and they were phenomenal.  I highly recommend A2 hosting for all of your hosting needs.  And I also recommend everyone to have a personal website. If you’re in technology and looking for a job and don’t have your own website, I probably wouldn’t hire you.  Just sayin’. Please use my affiliate link when signing up. https://www.ageekleader.com/a2 

About Nick Nick is a software engineer turned engineering leader who has been leading engineering teams at companies large and small for the last decade. He is currently the VP of Engineering at Sym. He cares a lot about generative leadership: helping teams bring more agency and autonomy to their work so they can build better software, build it more efficiently and find more fulfillment in doing it. He is also a student of disasters and other complex engineering stories. He has been deeply fascinated by things like plane crashes, nuclear meltdowns, and supersonic flight for as long as he can remember. He has been fortunate to share some of his favorite stories on stages around the world, giving keynotes that bring lessons from the world of physical engineering to how we work together to build software. He lives in Austin, TX with his wife Alison, their two kids, and their goofy Cavapoo dog named Benny. In his spare time, he is into perfecting his pour-over coffee technique, tinkering with electronics and 3D printing, and he is re-learning how to play piano. Today We Talked About Nick’s background Transitioning from engineer to engineering leader Ruby Conferences Hallway Track Speaking is important Resources Turn the Ship Around Managing Up? Control… or lack there of Extreme Ownership The difference between the best interest of the Team vs. the Company Umbrella vs Heat Shield Imposter Syndrome Creative Problem Solving Everyone is dumb enough to be fooled anyway… interesting concept Nice Things File Highlight Reels vs. Raw Footage Advice for new leaders Meta Productivity Longer Feedback loops Connect with Nick LinkedIn Website Twitter Podcast Leave me a tip $ Click here to Donate to the show I hope you enjoyed this show, please head over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe and leave me a rating and review, even one sentence will help spread the word.  Thanks again! A2 Hosting I’ve been using A2 Hosting for several years.  They offer state of the art SSD hosting for all of their plans.  Their sites are super fast and easy to setup.  I rarely need support, but when I was migrating my sites to a larger plan I used their support services and they were phenomenal.  I highly recommend A2 hosting for all of your hosting needs.  And I also recommend everyone to have a personal website. If you’re in technology and looking for a job and don’t have your own website, I probably wouldn’t hire you.  Just sayin’. Please use my affiliate link when signing up. https://www.ageekleader.com/a2 

About Tony Tony Castillo, is an esteemed nutrition expert specializing in optimizing performance for emerging leaders in the technology sector. Tony’s extensive background in sports nutrition and his experience working with elite athletes, coupled with a deep understanding of the challenges faced by those transitioning into leadership roles in technology, make him the perfect guide. His mission is to empower new leaders through customized nutrition strategies that enhance focus, energy, and overall well-being. Discover the transformative power of nutrition and elevate your leadership journey with Tony Castillo. Today We Talked About Tony’s background Importance of Nutrition Fasting and Testostorone Eating Breakfast Whole foods Breads and joints Carb to Fiber Ratio Net Carbs is a marketing strategy 5 to 1 or less is good. Sugar Carbs are importance for Energy Importance of Exercise Activity Trackers – Wearables Standing Desk Calf Raises at your desk How to do it when you’re busy What can you do… Be Consistent What to do when you mess up Go for a walk What are you Grateful for Write your “why” Write a letter finding your faults 80/20 rule on meals… 4 cheat meals per week :) Prioritize Protein Energy Levels Put your oxygen mask on first Connect with Tony Website LinkedIn Leave me a tip $ Click here to Donate to the show I hope you enjoyed this show, please head over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe and leave me a rating and review, even one sentence will help spread the word.  Thanks again! A2 Hosting I’ve been using A2 Hosting for several years.  They offer state of the art SSD hosting for all of their plans.  Their sites are super fast and easy to setup.  I rarely need support, but when I was migrating my sites to a larger plan I used their support services and they were phenomenal.  I highly recommend A2 hosting for all of your hosting needs.  And I also recommend everyone to have a personal website. If you’re in technology and looking for a job and don’t have your own website, I probably wouldn’t hire you.  Just sayin’. Please use my affiliate link when signing up. https://www.ageekleader.com/a2 

About Sonya Sonya Shelton founded Executive Leadership Consulting in 2007 from her passion for partnering with leaders and high achievers to create a clear vision and build work environments where employees are fulfilled and completely committed to their organization’s success. She has captured her leadership tips and success stories in her #1 Amazon bestselling book “You’re an Executive, But Are You a Leader?“ Having been an executive as well as an international speaker and consultant, Sonya brings the best of the best practices from successful startups to Fortune 100 companies around the world. During her more than 25 years as an executive in a variety of industries, Sonya has seen time and again that leadership means creating alignment. Her philosophy, background and experience add a strategic, pragmatic and multidimensional approach to Executive Leadership Consulting. Sonya serves on the Forbes Coaches Council and is a certified Master Corporate Executive Coach through the Association of Corporate Executive Coaches. Sonya has a Bachelor of Arts in Magazine Journalism from California State University, Long Beach, a Master of Science in Organization Development from Pepperdine University and has been certified in Evidence-Based Coaching from Fielding Graduate University. Today We Talked About Sonya’s background Environment Culture Leadership Thread leadership Personal Why Business Why Passion Using AI to find your why You How? Department Culture Be intentional Virtual Leadership Red Thread Leadership Model Master Class   Connect With Sonya LinkedIn Website Book Twitter Leave me a tip $ Click here to Donate to the show I hope you enjoyed this show, please head over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe and leave me a rating and review, even one sentence will help spread the word.  Thanks again! A2 Hosting I’ve been using A2 Hosting for several years.  They offer state of the art SSD hosting for all of their plans.  Their sites are super fast and easy to setup.  I rarely need support, but when I was migrating my sites to a larger plan I used their support services and they were phenomenal.  I highly recommend A2 hosting for all of your hosting needs.  And I also recommend everyone to have a personal website. If you’re in technology and looking for a job and don’t have your own website, I probably wouldn’t hire you.  Just sayin’. Please use my affiliate link when signing up. https://www.ageekleader.com/a2 

About Jeffrey Jeffrey is a nationally recognized thought leader and award winning author on the next evolution of leadership: Conscious Leadership. His recently published book: “Developing the Conscious Leadership Mindset for the 21st Century” won a total of four national and international Stevie Awards® and is an Amazon best seller in the Occupational and Organizational Psychology category. He also won the 2021 International Business Awards bronze medal for ‘Innovator of the Year’. His background is one of a serial entrepreneur who has bootstrapped 2 multi-million dollar companies; several non-profits and multiple political organizations. Since 2005 he has been a leadership and organizational performance consultant and leadership coach. He’s helped scores of clients grow by strengthening their leadership teams and helping them uncover, then mobilize, the hidden human capital that drives performance and profits in the 21st century. Jeffrey is a member of the Forbes Coaches Council and regularly publishes on the Forbes.com blog. Jeffrey is also a stage 4 cancer “thriver”; a dedicated student spiritual teachings and a Reiki Master. He blends his life experiences with decades of front-line management experience to help his clients build powerful and resilient 21st century ready organizations. Today We Talked About Jeffrey’s background Conscious Leadership Bringing Consciousness into the workplace The Elder The Steward The Navigator The Healer The Facilitator Conversations with your team Name 2 things you could do more of that would make you more valuable Name 2 things you want to do less of Name 2 things that the company needs to do differently Culture of Communication Tribal Nature of Companies M3 Method Mindset Model Methods Connect with Jeffrey Website Book LinkedIn Twitter Leave me a tip $ Click here to Donate to the show I hope you enjoyed this show, please head over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe and leave me a rating and review, even one sentence will help spread the word.  Thanks again! A2 Hosting I’ve been using A2 Hosting for several years.  They offer state of the art SSD hosting for all of their plans.  Their sites are super fast and easy to setup.  I rarely need support, but when I was migrating my sites to a larger plan I used their support services and they were phenomenal.  I highly recommend A2 hosting for all of your hosting needs.  And I also recommend everyone to have a personal website. If you’re in technology and looking for a job and don’t have your own website, I probably wouldn’t hire you.  Just sayin’. Please use my affiliate link when signing up. https://www.ageekleader.com/a2 

About Milan Milan is the author of “I’m Just Saying: A Guide to Maintaining Civil Discourse in an Increasingly Divided World,” (April, 2023 HCI) a straightforward look at the history and art of maintaining courteous communication in an increasingly divided world. In this book, he uses contemporary case studies and personal experience to teach readers how to have constructive conversations by engaging in civil discourse, and provides practical advice and strategies for respect in a divided world. Milan’s companies prioritize transparent practice, civil discourse, and respect for creatives, including Nota (formerly known as The Doe), an anonymously published narrative publication launched in 2019 to promote civil discourse; Audo, the only personalized career-building destination that lets you learn skills and earn money at the same time; and Guin Records, an innovative record label that offers artist-friendly deals and helps purpose-driven lyricists to produce their visions while retaining control of their masters. Milan is quickly becoming a globalized voice for a new generation. He regularly covers topics in entrepreneurship, self- help, startup culture, the environment, leadership, and media, and has written for numerous publications, including Rolling Stone, Huffington Post, Entrepreneur.com, ThriveGlobal, and other platforms. Milan’s expertise in entrepreneurship and civil discourse makes him a compelling guest for podcasts on a range of topics. Whether discussing the future of sustainable business practices, the importance of civil discourse in today’s polarized society, or the art of entrepreneurship, Milan offers unique insights that are sure to engage and inspire listeners. Today We Talked About Milan’s background Why this book? Listening Be intentional (common ground) Start with Why? Mindset changes Ego Ideas AI Admitting when you’re wrong Courage Bravery Connect with Milan Book Twitter LinkedIn Website Leave me a tip $ Click here to Donate to the show I hope you enjoyed this show, please head over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe and leave me a rating and review, even one sentence will help spread the word.  Thanks again! A2 Hosting I’ve been using A2 Hosting for several years.  They offer state of the art SSD hosting for all of their plans.  Their sites are super fast and easy to setup.  I rarely need support, but when I was migrating my sites to a larger plan I used their support services and they were phenomenal.  I highly recommend A2 hosting for all of your hosting needs.  And I also recommend everyone to have a personal website. If you’re in technology and looking for a job and don’t have your own website, I probably wouldn’t hire you.  Just sayin’. Please use my affiliate link when signing up. https://www.ageekleader.com/a2 

About Gahn Gahn Lane is a transformative and collaborative executive with 16 years of experience leading sales organizations and building strategic partnerships across diverse lines of business including SaaS, Cloud, Terrestrial, Wireless, Software, Distribution, and Proservices. With a wealth of experience leading sales in the Americas, EMEA, APAC, and LATAM, Gahn possesses the critical knowledge necessary to support rapid and sustained business growth, as evidenced by his successes executing evaluations of new markets in each of these regions. Having worked across six continents, Gahn is a culturally sensitive leader skilled in developing and executing cutting-edge strategies that capture global market share and expand an organization’s geographic footprint. He meticulously researches new environments to ensure complete understanding of their cultures, values, traditions, and norms. Throughout his career, Gahn has built an extensive network at the C-suite level which he draws upon to drive revenue and profit growth. As the former VP for Global Partners & Alliances at Pindrop, Gahn built the company’s global partner and channel ecosystem from the ground up, exceeding his Year 1 commitments within just 8 months. His team generated $52M in pipeline activity and $8M in closed business from a $0 starting point. Prior to this, Gahn worked as the VP for Global Strategic Alliances & Partners at PGi, where he led growth across new and underserved markets, generating highly-profitable B2B leads and creating $10M in new revenue. In addition to his experience working with organizations in hyper-growth phases, Gahn has experience driving growth at established organizations worldwide. At Syniverse, he led strategic partnerships and revenue generation activities in support of a 5G private LTE solution which transformed electronic payment transfers. Throughout his career, Gahn has developed a unique portfolio spanning big-picture strategy and execution, enabling him to lead teams of up to 800 employees to create growth and support companies’ ongoing success. He has worked collaboratively with some of the most respected brands in the world, including Google, AWS, SK Telecom, Singtel, British Telecom, and Deutsche Telecom, and takes pride in the impact his work has had on these organizations. Today We Talked About Gahn’s background Mentors Keep your house in orders (ethics) Empathy Being a Change Agent Go to Market – What is it? Honesty Caring Trust Hospitality Alignment Competitiveness Great Customer Experience International GTM   Connect with Gahn LinkedIn Leave me a tip $ Click here to Donate to the show I hope you enjoyed this show, please head over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe and leave me a rating and review, even one sentence will help spread the word.  Thanks again! A2 Hosting I’ve been using A2 Hosting for several years.  They offer state of the art SSD hosting for all of their plans.  Their sites are super fast and easy to setup.  I rarely need support, but when I was migrating my sites to a larger plan I used their support services and they were phenomenal.  I highly recommend A2 hosting for all of your hosting needs.  And I also recommend everyone to have a personal website. If you’re in technology and looking for a job and don’t have your own website, I probably wouldn’t hire you.  Just sayin’. Please use my affiliate link when signing up. https://www.ageekleader.com/a2 

About Kevin Kevin Dominik Korte is a Board Member and IT Innovation & Growth Strategist with a proven track record of harnessing commercial acumen with finance expertise to deliver large-scale digital transformation programs with a strong focus on Identity Management and open-source IT infrastructure solutions. One of his key strengths is assisting with strategy formulation, product innovation, and development to build a solid customer base for the growth of new market segments. He nurture strong relationships with high-profile industry players and key partners, articulating the organizational mission, values, and strategies to generate and sustain industry interest and secure corporate and individual support. In his most recent executive role with Univention, a privately held software company, he established the first overseas subsidiary. Kevin placed Univention as an industry leader in the IT governance and Identity Management space, transforming sales and direct marketing to showcase the value and benefits of core products and introducing targeted material with a clear, consistent message demonstrating measurable benefits. Kevin currently serve on the Board of Advisors for a business community B2B funder, helping to future-proof strategic IT decisions, and as Treasurer for the Jacobs University Foundation of America, his alma mater’s fundraising organization, where they have implemented investment strategies to increase the annual rate of return growth by 75%. Kevin is considered a thought leader in his field and have written articles for a wide range of professional bodies and hosted many Finance Industry roundtable events. He is an active Toastmaster, Board Member, and Accredited Investor. Kevin currently serve as Advisory Board Member to Moxey and as Mentor to two Startups at NewChip and students at Constructor University. Today We Talked About Kevin’s background Listening Identity Management OpenSource CyberSecurity Password Managers AI security Quantum Computing   Connect with Kevin Personal Website Univention LinkedIn Leave me a tip $ Click here to Donate to the show I hope you enjoyed this show, please head over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe and leave me a rating and review, even one sentence will help spread the word.  Thanks again! A2 Hosting I’ve been using A2 Hosting for several years.  They offer state of the art SSD hosting for all of their plans.  Their sites are super fast and easy to setup.  I rarely need support, but when I was migrating my sites to a larger plan I used their support services and they were phenomenal.  I highly recommend A2 hosting for all of your hosting needs.  And I also recommend everyone to have a personal website. If you’re in technology and looking for a job and don’t have your own website, I probably wouldn’t hire you.  Just sayin’. Please use my affiliate link when signing up. https://www.ageekleader.com/a2 

About LaSean LaSean is a seasoned media and technology executive that has helped build some of the largest consumer technology products in the world. He started coding at ten years old on a TRS-80 MC-10 computer that he begged his parents to buy. The computer was marked down to $59 at a local Radio Shack and provided his on-ramp to the world of software. He held engineering, product management, and strategy roles in the early stages of the web, mobile, and mixed reality (AR/VR). He started his career as an avionics technician in the US Navy. He started four businesses and sold one. He worked as a management consultant at Deloitte, serving clients that included Cablevision, Electronic Arts, Sony, T-Mobile, Target, TOMS Shoes, and Warner Brothers Studios. He managed strategy and operations for a portfolio of apps and games at Microsoft in Azure, Dynamics, and Xbox. As Director of Inspirational Shopping at Amazon, he managed an organization of applied scientists, content curators, product managers, and software engineers focused on the creator economy and social commerce. He currently serves as the founder of private equity firm CAGR Investments. He holds several patents for inventions related to artificial intelligence, computer vision, machine learning, and media streaming. His expertise in behavioral economics and systems engineering has been applied to corporate entrepreneurship inside Microsoft, where he helped start high-growth businesses that spanned multiple industries. He led the integration and ongoing management of multiple M&A deals. Beyond technology, he’s an executive producer for six indie feature films. His grasp of content production and software development across games, mobile, and the web allows him to tackle business opportunities with a broad toolkit. He is a graduate of the Professional Program in Screenwriting at UCLA. He holds a B.S. from Southern Illinois University, a master’s in Media & Computers from Arizona State University and an MBA from Georgetown University with a specialization in Marketing and Strategy. His product strategy book, Values-Based Business Design, explores how to develop high-growth products in the modern global marketplace. The methods behind the book have been implemented in multiple venture-backed startups. He’s been fortunate to help launch products that have found their way into the hands of millions of people. His quest continues to fill the world with fresh ideas, new sounds, bold images, and captivating experiences that help people reach their full potential. His personal north star is six words. Know thyself. Make things. Stay free. Today we talk about AI Automation Why investment in AI, tech and Automation? Rule of 40 for SaaS Companies Sales Automation Apollo.io Microsoft Co-Pilot ChatGPT Choose your people (Audience) Acquire or build durable distribution Find the Pain point Build the product Where it all goes? Connect with LaSean LinkedIn Website Leave me a tip $ Click here to Donate to the show I hope you enjoyed this show, please head over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe and leave me a rating and review, even one sentence will help spread the word.  Thanks again! A2 Hosting I’ve been using A2 Hosting for several years.  They offer state of the art SSD hosting for all of their plans.  Their sites are super fast and easy to setup.  I rarely need support, but when I was migrating my sites to a larger plan I used their support services and they were phenomenal.  I highly recommend A2 hosting for all of your hosting needs.  And I also recommend everyone to have a personal website. If you’re in technology and looking for a job and don’t have your own website, I probably wouldn’t hire you.  Just sayin’. Please use my affiliate link when signing up. https://www.ageekleader.com/a2 

About Beau Beau Button has been actively involved with software development since he was 11 years old. He got his start learning about computers around age 9, digging into the hardware side of things first, and eventually picked up software development at age 11. Having spent the majority of his career as a serial entrepreneur working in the government space Beau has now transitioned into the mobile gaming space through his company Atlas Reality, Inc. Beau has become a technology & automation enthusiast, even in his personal life. He spends a majority of his time outside of work building through 3d printing, and is very passionate about hunger/food scarcity, education and veganism. Today We Talked About Beau’s background The MetaVerse Game Design Importance of Gaming Get out of the way Trust the Developers Virtual Reality Web3 FinTech Connect with Beau Twitter LinkedIn Website Leave me a tip $ Click here to Donate to the show I hope you enjoyed this show, please head over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe and leave me a rating and review, even one sentence will help spread the word.  Thanks again! A2 Hosting I’ve been using A2 Hosting for several years.  They offer state of the art SSD hosting for all of their plans.  Their sites are super fast and easy to setup.  I rarely need support, but when I was migrating my sites to a larger plan I used their support services and they were phenomenal.  I highly recommend A2 hosting for all of your hosting needs.  And I also recommend everyone to have a personal website. If you’re in technology and looking for a job and don’t have your own website, I probably wouldn’t hire you.  Just sayin’. Please use my affiliate link when signing up. https://www.ageekleader.com/a2