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

About Doug Doug has more than 20 years of software development experience in a number of industries and disciplines; Internet, corporate intranet, web applications, retail software, embedded systems and process control. He has demonstrated abilities to deliver successful software applications on an individual basis as well as leader, or member, of a team. Doug has an exceptional ability to work cross discipline with other groups and bring projects to a successful and profitable conclusion. Having been in the industry for a number of years, Doug fully embraces the concept that “change is the only constant” and is able to take full advantage of emerging technologies and demonstrate the benefits of new technologies to co-workers and management. He always meets and exceeds expectations, and broadens any team he is a part of. As a contributor and team leader of software development projects, he has acquired strong abilities with a number of languages. These include developing rich web applications on Linux based platforms using Python as his server application language of choice. Doug is also a strong client side developer with skills in JavaScript and JavaScript tools. He is well versed in Python, Javascript, jQuery, jQuery UI, HTML, CSS, SQL, RabbitMQ and recently getting up to speed with React. Specialties: teaching new technologies, both in the corporate environment, as an Adult-Ed instructor and at a STEM facility near me. In addition, having worked in embedded systems he’s very attuned to the need for efficient and high speed software required in real-time systems. His most recent work includes development of RIA (Rich Internet Applications) as a full-stack developer creating REST and GraphQL based systems for SAS (Software As a Service) architecture. Today We Talked About Doug’s career Why python? Be a developer, not programmer solve problems Pillars of development Connect with Doug Website Book Twitter LinkedIn Special Thanks to Private Internet Access I’ve been a customer of Private Internet Access for 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 I hope you enjoyed this show, please head over to Apple Podcast and subscribe and leave me a rating and review, even 1 sentence will help spread the word.  Thanks again!

About Scott Scott DeLuzio is a WordPress plugin developer, as well as a husband, father of three, and Army veteran, who unintentionally stumbled into web development while getting his degree in accounting. After graduating, he worked in the finance industry for six years, but continued to build websites on the side for family, friends, and local businesses. After being deployed with the Army National Guard to Afghanistan in 2010, he took his interest in web development to a new level by joining a consulting firm’s in-house marketing team and eventually started his own full-time website design, maintenance, and support business in 2014. Today, as his skills have grown and his interests have changed, he has moved away from designing websites and focuses primarily on building WordPress plugins for his company, Amplify Plugins. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, hiking, playing with his family, mentoring, speaking, and publishes a podcast called Drive On Podcast. Today We Talked About Military Life WordPress WooCommerce 911 Military Career Gold Star Family Connect with Scott Amplify Drive On Podcast Twitter Website Special Thanks to Private Internet Access I’ve been a customer of Private Internet Access for 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 I hope you enjoyed this show, please head over to Apple Podcast and subscribe and leave me a rating and review, even 1 sentence will help spread the word.  Thanks again!

About Ravs Ravs Kaur, Chief Technology Officer, is responsible for leading Product and Engineering at Uplevel. Prior to Uplevel, she spent a decade in the Developer Division at Microsoft building tools to make the every-day lives of developers easier. Following her time at Microsoft, she was at Tableau and led the core Visual Analytics teams to help people discover and share their insights through data. She brings together her empathy of developers, passion for data, and experience with engineering leadership challenges in her current role at Uplevel to build the product she always wanted for her own teams. Ravs lives in the Seattle area with her husband and two kids who share her aspirations of becoming a pianist some day. They are usually found planning last minute travels and love experiencing different cultures. Today We Talked About: Ravs career Leadership How data and analytics can help employee engagement Walking One-on-one Time Management Time Tracking Deep Work Behavior Follow the leader behavior Change during COVID-19 Connect with Ravs LinkedIn Uplevel Special Thanks to Private Internet Access I’ve been a customer of Private Internet Access for 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 I hope you enjoyed this show, please head over to Apple Podcast and subscribe and leave me a rating and review, even 1 sentence will help spread the word.  Thanks again!

About Amy Amy Posey is a Silicon Valley-based leadership consultant focused on neuroscience and high performance. She is the founder and CEO of SUPER*MEGA*BOSS, a manager training company. Kevin Vallely juggles his life as a registered architect, leadership mentor, author, keynote speaker and father, while also becoming an internationally recognized explorer. Their new book is Wild Success: 7 Key Lessons Business Leaders Can Learn from Extreme Adventures (McGraw Hill, March 10, 2020). Learn more at www.morewildsuccess.com. Today We Talked About Amy’s past Wild Success Book Adventures for Leadership? Cognitive Reappraisal make mistakes grit leadership try different things being open discomfort Connect With Amy Twitter LinkedIn Website Book Special Thanks to Private Internet Access I’ve been a customer of Private Internet Access for 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 I hope you enjoyed this show, please head over to Apple Podcast and subscribe and leave me a rating and review, even 1 sentence will help spread the word.  Thanks again!

About Nate: DO YOU HAVE A PASSION FOR DOING GREAT THINGS, BUT FIND YOURSELF GIVING UP WHEN IT GETS TOO HARD? DO YOU PULL BACK OR FEEL VULNERABLE WHEN YOU PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE? That was ME. I stood on the sidelines and watched others succeed with consistent work and effort. I realized, like so many others, what I was lacking was the confidence and consistency to reach my OWN goals and dreams. As a result, my goals were not being fully realized. I was getting in my own way. It’s time… Enough is Enough! I’ve decided to stop holding myself back and get comfortable with being uncomfortable. That means trying new things, meeting new people, exploring new ideas and just saying YES! to more things Follow me as I show you how to find your true potential, do the uncomfortable things that will help you to take the risks, find your passion, and finally do the things that you were meant to do. Join me on this amazing journey as I launch THE ALL-IN PODCAST, explore the power of personal relationships and show what happens when you chase your dreams and realize your true passions. My goal with the show is to make connections with people from all walks of life that will change the way you show up in your personal and professional life. My hope is that by sharing my journey, people don’t aspire to make a living, they aspire to make a difference* and find their calling so they can live their best life.   Today We Talked About: working from home networking linkedin fitness the all-in podcast fear COVID-19 Networking Connect with Nate: LinkedIn WebSite Instagram YouTube The All In Podcast Special Thanks to Private Internet Access I’ve been a customer of Private Internet Access for 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 Mark Mark DeLuzio is founder and Chief Executive Officer of Lean Horizons Consulting, LLC (www.leanhorizons.com). He is a former corporate officer and Vice President of Danaher Business System (DBS) for Danaher Corporation (NYSE: DHR), where he was the principal architect of DBS, deploying it on a global basis. Mark was selected by Danaher to be on the first study mission to Japan, studying under the original developers of the Toyota Production System. DBS has been credited by Wall Street as a key element to Danaher’s success.  Danaher has been recognized as the leading implementer of Lean globally and has been rated as the 3rd most profitable US stock over the last 30 years. Mark is also credited with developing the first Lean Accounting process in the United States for Danaher’s Jake Brake Division.  He is recognized as a pioneer in this area and is known as one of the “Fab 5” at the Lean Accounting Summit. Mr. DeLuzio served as a member of Central Connecticut State University’s advisory board for its School of Business and in 2007 was inducted as a Life Member of the Shingo Prize Academy (Lean Hall of Fame) for his lifetime contribution to “Excellence in Manufacturing.” Effective April 1, 2008, Mr. DeLuzio was elected to the Board of Directors of Hillenbrand, Inc. (NYSE: HI), which is a diversified industrial manufacturer.  Before retiring from the Board in February 2019, he served on the Nomination and Governance Committee, the Compensation Committee as well as the Merger & Acquisition Committee. Mr. DeLuzio has consulted on a global basis, and is a frequent speaker at higher educational institutions such as MIT (Sloan School of Business), Northwestern (Kellogg School of Business), and Rensselear Institute of Technology. Having had two sons who fought in combat in the Middle East, Mark unfortunately became a Gold Star Father in 2010 when his son Steven (age 25) was killed in action fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan.  Steven was awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, as well as other decorations for his selfless bravery.  Carrying on both of his sons’ contributions to our country, Mark was inspired to help Veterans (at no fee) wishing to start a business or needing career advice.  His organization is called B.R.A.V.E. (Business Reviews and Advisors to Veteran Entrepreneurs).  www.4thebrave.org Mr. DeLuzio holds two undergraduate degrees in business (Marketing and Accounting) from Central Connecticut State University, an MBA in Operations Management from the University of Hartford, a Certificate in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) and is a Certified Management Accountant (CMA). Mark is the author of “Turn Waste into Wealth,” which offers practical advice for those considering a Lean transformation.  His next book called “Flatlined – Why Companies Fail at Lean and What to do About It” will be released in the spring of 2020.  Finally, he has begun writing his next book regarding the Danaher Business System, tentatively called “The History and Evolution of the Danaher Business System.” Today we Talked About Lean Agile Transformation Transform the invisible Respect for People Principal SQDC Technology needs to serve the business B.R.A.V.E. Connect With Mark Book Website B.R.A.V.E. Special Thanks to Splashtop for sponsoring today’s show. Splashtop is a premier remote desktop, and remote support solution. I’ve been using Splashtop personal for more than 7 years now and Splashtop Enterprise at my company for 3 years.  Their products are fantastic and their support is second to none.  I love and highly recommend their products and I’m super stoked that they are giving A Geek Leader listeners 10% off their first year (offer expires June 30, 2020) when you go to https://ageekleader.com/splashtop I hope you enjoyed this show, please head over to Apple Podcast and subscribe and leave me a rating and review, even 1 sentence will help spread the word.  Thanks again!

About Jennifer In high tech or any role, Jennifer Byrne is an advocate and example of what it means to be an original thinker who can effectively and unapologetically communicate how aptitude, and action will differentiate you in work, family, community and certainly business.  Utilizing wisdom gained from twenty years in the tech industry, and a lifetime of unlikely adventures, Jennifer now teaches others through her role as an advisor to startups, personal mentorship to young leaders, and a forthcoming book, how to apply an innovator’s mindset in order to survive and thrive in today’s fast-paced, tech-infused world. With this mindset, determination and the corresponding technical skills to excel, Jennifer progressed quickly to Chief Technology Officer of Microsoft US. She worked with companies and organizations across all industries and market segments to re-frame their business opportunities in digital terms. With an innate ability to connect disparate parts, Jennifer was able to infuse innovation practices into Microsoft’s technical field teams which led to high-value and well-publicized digital transformation strategies with top global companies. Jennifer’s passion is using technology to create empowerment opportunities for everyone, not just corporate leaders and members of the tech sector. Through her relatable and sometimes provocative style, combined with her her back-story of building a career in tech from an unlikely start, her audiences learn to up-level their own thinking and re-frame the way they see their own potential. Under Jennifer’s leadership, her teams at Microsoft undertook innovation projects within economic regions which were designed to foster inclusive growth in a cross-sector and community-oriented manner.  She led the fifteen Microsoft Technology Centers across the US, which host thousands of customers and community events each year.  In previous roles at Microsoft, Jennifer was responsible for market expansion initiatives leveraging business model and technology innovation for governments and their citizens, healthcare companies and consumers, and education providers and students around the globe. She joined Microsoft as the Chief Security Officer for the Worldwide Public Sector Division in 2014. Prior to Microsoft, Jennifer was a leader in Cybersecurity, having held technical, sales and executive positions at companies such as Intel, McAfee and Symantec.  She began her career in technology as an Information Security Analyst and Engineer serving US Government clients.  Her first career, which remains her passion today, was in the non-profit world working with under-served populations. Today We Talked About: Jennifer’s background Her time at Microsoft And what else? Be curious. Diversity Women in Tech Tech jobs Leadership Giving Back Connect with Jennifer Byrne LinkedIn Twitter Special Thanks to Splashtop for sponsoring today’s show. Splashtop is a premier remote desktop, and remote support solution. I’ve been using Splashtop personal for more than 7 years now and Splashtop Enterprise at my company for 3 years.  Their products are fantastic and their support is second to none.  I love and highly recommend their products and I’m super stoked that they are giving A Geek Leader listeners 10% off their first year (offer expires June 30, 2020) when you go to https://ageekleader.com/splashtop I hope you enjoyed this show, please head over to Apple Podcast and subscribe and leave me a rating and review, even 1 sentence will help spread the word.  Thanks again!

About Sarah Sarah Wirth is the President of EcSell Institute, the world’s first and only organization to measure and quantify leadership effectiveness. She and her coauthor, Bill Eckstrom, are considered the world’s foremost authorities in metric-based performance coaching and growth. Sarah and Bill’s book, The Coaching Effect, was written to help leaders understand how coaching is the key to increase sales, enhance performance, and sustain growth. Sarah is an expert on women in leadership and has nearly 20 years of experience in employee assessment, leadership development, sales executive coaching, and customer service. She takes an analytical approach to understanding the skills and talents of high-performing sales leaders and is constantly providing clients with new methods for leading and coaching. Sarah has presented to executives from across the globe with organizations such as Mercedes Benz, Estee Lauder, Ritz Carlton, Cheesecake Factory and many more. Her expertise in coaching and leadership, combined with her fact-based, common-sense approach to their application make her a sought after presenter at any event.   Today We Talked About:  Her background The Coaching Effect Coaching vs. Managing Coaching vs. Leading Good One-on-Ones (What makes them Quality?) How people are getting the work done…not just what is getting done. What are the best coaches doing? Coach has my back Builds deep relationships Builds Trust Great Coaches are consistent and accountable They Challenge Their people Conversations  with Top Performers Growth Rings discretionary effort Leadership Metrics three critical performance drivers Build Relationship Establish Orders Get into Complexity Complexity vs. Simple Be a learner Ask for feedback Growth Ring Quiz Connect with Sarah Book LinkedIn Twitter Website Special Thanks to Splashtop for sponsoring today’s show. Splashtop is a premier remote desktop, and remote support solution. I’ve been using Splashtop personal for more than 7 years now and Splashtop Enterprise at my company for 3 years.  Their products are fantastic and their support is second to none.  I love and highly recommend their products and I’m super stoked that they are giving A Geek Leader listeners 10% off their first year (offer expires June 30, 2020) when you go to https://ageekleader.com/splashtop I hope you enjoyed this show, please head over to Apple Podcast and subscribe and leave me a rating and review, even 1 sentence will help spread the word.  Thanks again!

About Darren Darren is a Managing Partner of The Trium Group, where he serves as an executive coach to the CEOs of many of the world’s most influential companies. He is the author of the book Master Your Code: The Art, Wisdom, and Science of Leading an Extraordinary Life. The book has received significant praise from the CEOs of companies like The Home Depot, Lululemon, Dropbox, StubHub, Roche, and from experts in the field of leadership and personal development like Greg McKeown, author of the NYT best seller Essentialism. The feedback has been tremendous, with some calling Master Your Code “the most important thing I’ve read in years” and “one of the great personal development books of our generation.” Today we talked about: Darren’s background Why he wrote the book Key points of the book Definition of a Program A Code vs A Program Responsibility Identity Language creates reality Connect with Darren Twitter LinkedIn Book Website Special Thanks to Today’s Sponsor, Berkaweb If you’re looking for a web hosting provider but aren’t sure how to choose one, check out Berkaweb.com. Berkaweb is a free online resource maintained by Mark Berka, where you’ll find tests and comparisons of hosting providers in different categories, such as hosts with the cheapest annual plans, providers with cheapest renewals, hosts with the longest money-back guarantees, and much more. In contrast to most other hosting reviewers, Mark formulates his recommendations by actually purchasing a hosting plan from each company and putting up a test website, so you’ll be getting an objective look at the true service quality of a provider, not just a rehash of the company’s own marketing claims. 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!

About John John Ferris is the founder and CEO of inVision Edge, a management consultancy focused on enabling innovation, clarifying strategy, and growing businesses. With a background in large organizations that includes leadership experience in sales and marketing, human resources, and organizational development, John is able to help organizations and business owners experiencing growing pains move past the obstacles holding them back and achieve great things. John’s latest product, The Playbook Edge System, is a do-it-yourself strategic planning framework designed to help businesses spend one day creating a plan and the rest of the year achieving their goals. Today we Talked COVID-19 Strategy Defining Roles Focus Innovation Define the Real Problem Get a larger group with different perspectives Rapid testing Minimal Viable Product (MVP) Leadership Listening Communication The Why? Accountability Crucial Conversations Feedback Loop getting it done even if its not perfect One-on-ones 5 Dysfunctions of a Team – book Conflict Be Authentic Always Be Learning   Connect with John Website LinkedIn Twitter Special Thanks to Splashtop for sponsoring today’s show. Splashtop is a premier remote desktop, and remote support solution. I’ve been using Splashtop personal for more than 7 years now and Splashtop Enterprise at my company for 3 years.  Their products are fantastic and their support is second to none.  I love and highly recommend their products and I’m super stoked that they are giving A Geek Leader listeners 10% off their first year (offer expires June 30, 2020) when you go to https://ageekleader.com/splashtop I hope you enjoyed this show, please head over to Apple Podcast and subscribe and leave me a rating and review, even 1 sentence will help spread the word.  Thanks again!