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

About W. Curtis W. Curtis Preston (AKA Mr. Backup) has specialized in designing data protection systems since 1993, and has designed such systems for some of the largest organizations in the world. His lively prose and wry, real-world approach has made him a popular author and speaker. He has written four O’Reilly books, the latest of which is Modern Data Protection, published in 2021. He is also the host of BackupCentral.com and it’s Restore it All podcast. He is now the Chief Technical Evangelist for Druva, the only at-scale SaaS provider of data protection. Today We Talked About Curtis’s background Why Backups are important. Modern Backups SaaS Service backups Container Backups Cloud Backups Protecting Code Spaces MFA as a requirement M365 Backups Immutable Backups Ransomware LTO backups Archiving vs. Backups GDPR and backups Forget me Yes? Retention Policies RTO and RPO – What are the? Connect with Curtis Podcast LinkedIn Website Twitter 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! Private Internet Access I’ve been a customer of Private Internet Access for over 3 years now and I love this service.  I was at a security conference a few years ago and I connected to the hotel wifi.  Immediately my endpoint protection software began to alert me of hacking attempts.  I launched my VPN from Private Internet Access and all of the attempts were stopped. My data and internet connection was secure.  Another great use of the VPN service is connect from different geo locations, which is very helpful when testing DNS and CDN caching. To get a your VPN account starting at $3.33 per month, please visit https://ageekleader.com/vpn

About Raghu Raghu Bala is CEO, NetObjex Inc based in California USA.  He is an experienced technology entrepreneur and is an alumnus of Yahoo, Infospace, PwC, and has had 4 successful startup exits.  Focused on Web3/NFT/Defi/Metaverse/IOT/AI. Four exits. Wharton/MIT/Columbia/Stanford. Now the CTO of Kresus Labs. Mr. Bala possesses an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School (University of Pennsylvania), an MS in Computer Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a BA/BS in Math and Computer Science from the State University of New York at Buffalo.  He is Ex-Columbia University Adjunct Lecturer, currently tutoring MIT courses in AI and Blockchain on the GetSmarter platform.  He is a published author of books on technical topics and is a frequent contributor online. He is a contributing author in an upcoming book titled “Handbook on Blockchain” for Springer-Verlag publications.  He is also a Contributing Editor to a new book called “Step into the Metaverse”.   Mr Bala was also instrumental in the development of the Metaverse strategy for NetObjex including its purchase of land and construction of a Metaverse building (see https://youtu.be/yV3YfZQpAGo).  He is Board Advisor to several Metaverse and Crypto initiatives – 3DMeet – a Metaverse Education company , Dreamium Labs – a Layer 0 Protocol for the Metaverse, OpenFabric.ai – a decentralized AI platform, and, TrinityDEX – a state of the art DEX built on Algorand. Mr Bala has spoken at several major conferences worldwide including Asian Financial Forum in Hong Kong, Global Foreign Direct Investment Conference in Sydney, Blockchain Malaysia, IoT India Congress, Google IO, and several more.  He is also an elected board member of AIM – The global industry association that connects, standardizes and advances automatic identification technologies. His current areas of focus include Product Development, Engineering and Strategy in the businesses or SaaS offerings related to Decentralized computing, Distributed Ledgers, IoT, Artificial Intelligence, and the Metaverse.  His domain knowledge is vast including Automotive, Retail, Supply Chain & Logistics, Healthcare, Insurance, Mobile & Wireless, and more. Today We Talked About Raghu’s background Metaverse Education Training Field Trips Blockchain What is Web3 IoT AR Car Windshield AR Lanes on your Winshield Locations ahead Blockchain contracts NFT Tokenization Commercial Papers Connect with Raghu LinkedIn Website Twitter 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! Private Internet Access I’ve been a customer of Private Internet Access for over 3 years now and I love this service.  I was at a security conference a few years ago and I connected to the hotel wifi.  Immediately my endpoint protection software began to alert me of hacking attempts.  I launched my VPN from Private Internet Access and all of the attempts were stopped. My data and internet connection was secure.  Another great use of the VPN service is connect from different geo locations, which is very helpful when testing DNS and CDN caching. To get a your VPN account starting at $3.33 per month, please visit https://ageekleader.com/vpn

About Jim James G. Wetrich, LFACHE is the CEO of The Wetrich Group of Companies and the author of Stifled: Where Good Leaders Go Wrong. His writing has also appeared in the 2021 anthology series Quitless: The Power of Persistence in Business and Life, a USA Today and WSJ best seller. Having led teams in three continents over more than 40 years and consulted with over 100 companies, Jim has seen great leaders who have thrived and ones that have failed. A noted expert in leadership, Jim’s leadership lessons are as highly sought after by today’s business students as they are Baby Boomers. From 2006 to 2014, Jim built a team at Molnlycke Health Care that grew the revenue over 7 times and the EBITDA over 20 times creating over $1BN growth in enterprise value and taking the US business from number 5 to number 1 in the served market with an employee satisfaction index over 95%. Jim is passionate about diversity and inclusion and hosted a two-day meeting for all women in the organization (not just high potentials) to discuss their unique challenges. As the founder and CEO of The Wetrich Group of Companies, Jim focuses now on coaching and mentorship and spreading his leadership lessons to help individuals become better leaders and organizations create great leaders and managers. Today We Talked About Jim’s background Leadership issues that we face Where Leaders go wrong Letting go Ego Training Demotivating your team Not all interactions should be transactional “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care” – John Maxwell Celebrate our Successes Work-life Balance Expectations Self-awareness 360 Reviews Remote Work Retrospective Being Vulnerable Connect with Jim Books Website LinkedIn 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! Private Internet Access I’ve been a customer of Private Internet Access for over 3 years now and I love this service.  I was at a security conference a few years ago and I connected to the hotel wifi.  Immediately my endpoint protection software began to alert me of hacking attempts.  I launched my VPN from Private Internet Access and all of the attempts were stopped. My data and internet connection was secure.  Another great use of the VPN service is connect from different geo locations, which is very helpful when testing DNS and CDN caching. To get a your VPN account starting at $3.33 per month, please visit https://ageekleader.com/vpn

About David David Kakish is the founder and President of RIA WorkSpace. It’s his belief that small and midsize Registered Investment Advisors and Financial Advisors are different than other businesses. He likes to think of these RIAs as the Small Giants in the financial services industry. David is committed to higher standards and easier access to enterprise level IT and cyber security for small and midsize RIAs. He believes that an off-the-shelf IT setup doesn’t meet the unique needs of the industry and encourages RIAs to seek out better, enterprise-level solutions to protect their business and their clients. Under his leadership, the RIA WorkSpace team developed cloud and managed IT platforms specifically for RIA and Financial Service firms. They’re keenly focused on creating leading edge security and headache-free environments for their clients. While not at the office, David is an active reader and enjoys playing soccer and basketball. He loves traveling, learning, and spending time with his family. On the weekends, you’ll typically find him coaching one of his kid’s sports teams. Today We Talked About David’s background IT Security Microsoft 365 Security Features Not using features of M365 Ransomware Cyber Security DLP – Data Loss Prevention MFA – Multi-Factor Authentication Power in simplicity RoN – Return on Negligence Leadership Enterprise Single Sign-on Microsoft Security Score Who is auditing your IT group? Connect with David Website LinkedIn RIA Podcast 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 Joshua Joshua is a successful serial entrepreneur, technology executive and investor. He has started multiple businesses, helping scale them to 150+ people and $100m+ in revenue. Today, he is CEO @ Mindstone and a Venture/Limited Partner @ Emerge Education, focusing on building a platform that helps people learn faster, remember more and get things done. Previously, he was Co-Founder & Chief Product / Technology Officer at SuperAwesome the biggest kids technology company in the world, acquired by Epic Games in the summer of 2020. Before that, he was a Co-Founder & CEO @ Targetz, as well as CJ Online Works and worked for Richemont International to build their Intellectual Property database systems across multiple continents. He was born in the Netherlands, attended High School in Switzerland and speaks five languages. After studying Computer Science at King’s College London, Joshua took his MBA at the Open University and has since completed MOOCs ranging from the Science of Learning to the application of Artificial Intelligence. After such a varied educational journey, and having been underwhelmed by many of his educational experiences, he founded Mindstone to help change that. Today We Talked About Joshua’s background Entrepreneurship How we learn Resume building Portfolio Learning from YouTube Connect with Joshua Website LinkedIn Twitter 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 John John Estafanous is the founder and CEO of RallyBright, a SaaS team development platform that helps business leaders improve team performance, dynamics and inclusion. John helps business leaders build high-performing, inclusive teams. He works with executive teams and leaders of teams of all sizes and levels at organizations ranging from startups to unicorns, to enterprise tech companies and household names in healthcare and media. He also partners with organizational people leaders interested in measuring inclusion and collaboration. As a repeat founder with extensive digital transformation, marketing, and operations experience, John leverages his executive leadership and technology background to build solutions that drive business impact and are easy to use Today We Talked About John’s background Early coding Data Team building inclusiveness and belonging How do we get it done Code Dimensions Connection Attitude Direction Alignment Performance Safety Mindsets Fixed Abundance Growth Shared Purpose and Vision Empathy and Fairness Respond and not React Accountability Measuring performance and KPIs Connect with John LinkedIn Twitter Website 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! Private Internet Access I’ve been a customer of Private Internet Access for over 3 years now and I love this service.  I was at a security conference a few years ago and I connected to the hotel wifi.  Immediately my endpoint protection software began to alert me of hacking attempts.  I launched my VPN from Private Internet Access and all of the attempts were stopped. My data and internet connection was secure.  Another great use of the VPN service is connect from different geo locations, which is very helpful when testing DNS and CDN caching. To get a your VPN account starting at $3.33 per month, please visit https://ageekleader.com/vpn

About Jerome Jerome joined Narativ in 2007 after the founders, Murray Nossel and Paul Browde, handed him a shoebox full of notes and said, “we think there’s a company in here.” Jerome had recently left a position at BNP Paribas, Hong Kong, and came to New York to pursue a career in filmmaking. He jumped at the challenge—and so began Jerome’s story with Narativ. At Narativ, today Jerome helps companies leverage the power of story-telling by teaching them how to craft and tell stories that resonate through a repeatable and scalable method. Narativ offers listening and storytelling training programs, one-on-one coaching, and virtual work-shops for sales, team building, leadership development and onboarding. For over a decade, Jerome has worked closely with clients as diverse as CIGNA, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Janssen Pharma, and Warby Parker to craft business-relevant personal stories for sales, leadership, and team building. He regularly lectures at Parsons New School of Design in New York City on The Art of Storytelling.   Today We Talked About Jerome’s background Why Storytelling How to tell a good story The science of knowledge transfer and how it becomes part of the company’s ecosystem Listen to yourself How are others listening to you Just tell the actions, not the feelings What happened?  and The Story Arc…. Know the ending Obstacles for listening The methodology of a great story Every employee has a story and why it matters for your organization Connect With Jerome Twitter LinkedIn Narativ website Book Podcast 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! Private Internet Access I’ve been a customer of Private Internet Access for over 3 years now and I love this service.  I was at a security conference a few years ago and I connected to the hotel wifi.  Immediately my endpoint protection software began to alert me of hacking attempts.  I launched my VPN from Private Internet Access and all of the attempts were stopped. My data and internet connection was secure.  Another great use of the VPN service is connect from different geo locations, which is very helpful when testing DNS and CDN caching. To get a your VPN account starting at $3.33 per month, please visit https://ageekleader.com/vpn

About Rick Rick Maurer is a speaker, author, consultant, and expert on helping leaders avoid resistance to change period since the publication of his book Beyond the Wall of Resistance in the 1990s, Ricks opinion has been sought by The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, NBC Nightly News, Fortune, and many other media outlets. Some of the largest companies in the world ask for his advice on ways to avoid resistance to change and ways to build strong support for changes and other big projects. Today We Talked About Rick’s Background Why do people support us? Why do they resist us? Transparency Respect Communication Q & A Fear Trust Seizing Moments of Possibility: Ways to Trigger Energy and Forward Momentum on Your Ideas and Plans Connect with Rick LinkedIn Website Book Twitter 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! Private Internet Access I’ve been a customer of Private Internet Access for over 3 years now and I love this service.  I was at a security conference a few years ago and I connected to the hotel wifi.  Immediately my endpoint protection software began to alert me of hacking attempts.  I launched my VPN from Private Internet Access and all of the attempts were stopped. My data and internet connection was secure.  Another great use of the VPN service is connect from different geo locations, which is very helpful when testing DNS and CDN caching. To get a your VPN account starting at $3.33 per month, please visit https://ageekleader.com/vpn

About Chans Chans Weber is the Founder and CEO of Agile & Co. Backed up by ten plus years of experience in digital marketing & entrepreneurship, Chans is known for his skill in transforming companies’ visions and goals into tangible revenue. He is responsible for guiding the strategy and evolution of Agile & Co. Through Agile & Co’s transparent, analytics-driven tactics, businesses are now realizing the effectiveness of inbound marketing. Chans consistently strives to create cutting-edge and innovative strategies that enable companies to gain top market share in their respective industries. Chans built Agile & Co (formerly known as Leap Clixx) from the ground up using inbound marketing principles. Prior to becoming a full-service inbound marketing company, Agile & Co used SEO as the driving force behind their success and the success of their clients. Chans is also a husband, father, and an Arête Syndicate OG. Today We Talked About Chans background Hiring Onboarding Bonuses One-on-one Culture Quarterly bonus Salaries Turnover Pandemic Pricing Connect with Chans Twitter LinkedIn Website 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 Swizec Swizec is a software engineer, author, and indie hacker from Slovenia. His career in high growth San Francisco startups changed how he thinks about code and he likes to share those lessons as the senior mindset. Today We Talked About Sr. Engineer Do the annoying stuff for your engineers Perspective Getting Experience Going downhill for a little bit Rest and Vest Why? How to get there? What’s wrong with Tutorials? Serverless Handbook Senior mindset Connect with Swizec Twitter LinkedIn Website YouTube 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