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

About D.J. D.J. Eshelman has more than 25 years of overall IT experience, but it was in 2004 when he found Citrix Systems that his career became truly focused. While this still requires skillsets beyond the delivery, Citrix technologies have been the central point of focus ever since. He is the author of two books released in 2020, “Be a Citrix Hero” and “Just Do THIS: A Simpler Way to Succeed in I.T.” as well as blog sites ctxpro.com and thrive-it.com. He is the host of the “THRIVE-IT” YouTube channel and the popular “THRIVEcast” show, interviewing leaders in I.T. Mr. Eshelman has proven himself as an expert in the industry. He was recognized as one of 50 Citrix Technology Advocates (CTA) worldwide in 2017. He has served Citrix Consulting Services since 2011 as an ad-hoc or resident senior consultant/architect. He has on behalf of his companies BOT Consulting and THRIVE-IT.com guided multiple Citrix Platinum partners in the technology while serving customers independently and with white-label services. In everything D.J. does, he is on a mission to Leave the World Better Than He Found It – and Inspire Others to do the same. https://thrive-it.com/AGL23 IT Career Roadmap Workshop Today We Talked About D.J.'s background RiskLESS Methodology Understand Plan Change Maintain Quiet Quitting Not what you know, but what you're willing to learn. Confused people don't buy Connect with D.J. X Book YouTube 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!

About Phil Most people can’t say that they were already a successful entrepreneur at the age of 18. But then again, Phil Alves isn’t most people. After teaching himself how to code in high school, he started writing blogs about building software for direct marketing, unknowingly becoming an SEO powerhouse in the space — and it wasn’t long until one of his posts landed at #1 on Google. Capitalizing on the resulting inbound inquiries, he was able to grow his first business to 10 employees and then sell it... all before he could buy a lottery ticket. From there, Phil moved to the US to attend college, pursuing further education in Computer Information Technology at BYU. As he settled into Salt Lake City, his entrepreneurial tendencies once again came to the forefront: he soon founded DevSquad, a boutique consulting firm that specializes in strategizing, prototyping, and developing digital products.  Over the last nine years, Phil has grown the company from a tiny startup into a 100-person cross-functional team, operating in both the US and his home country of Brazil — leading numerous startup clients to multi-million dollar exits and shepherding the development of digital products for major enterprises like ADP, Box, and the US Ski and Snowboarding team along the way. In all of these endeavors, Phil’s ultimate goal shines through: giving SaaS leaders the tools their businesses need to thrive. When he’s not deep in development, you can find Phil behind the mic hosting his own podcast, SaaS Origin Stories, or working on his newest venture, DevStats, a SaaS product that helps product and engineering leaders get insight on their development teams’ performance. He’s also a passionate pilot, a loving husband, an avid cyclist, and a practitioner of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Today We Talked About Phil's background DevOps SaaS product Development JOMO vs. FOMO (Joy of Missing out vs. Fear of Missing Out) Project Management Methodology Sprint Zero Prototype User Interviews Development Metrics User Metrics Microservices https://www.devstats.com/  Connect with Phil LinkedIn Website Phil Alves 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!

About Rob Rob Kalwarowsky was at the top of his game. Known to colleagues only as Reliable Rob, his MIT Mechanical Engineering degree and dedication to the heavy industry space gave him the unique insight that saved his organization millions of dollars. But then, the twist. Upper management? They didn’t care. At all. The huge disconnect spurred Rob to shift gears – from heavy industry to heavy research. 10 years later, the bleak results. One: The relationship between workforce and management has broken down, everywhere, and completely. Two: This is destroying the mental health of all involved – and taking entire companies down. But there is a solution. And it starts with the deceptively simple question: what separates a great leader from an a**hole boss? Rob brings deep insights into intra-organizational obstacles to change, and small shifts in leadership with big impacts on the bottom line, mental health, and quality of life across all levels. Today We Talked About Rob's background Trust Caring manager Thin book of Trust Work Identity Perception is reality Accountability Imposter Syndrome Ego Internal Family Systems Show up as you Leaders are traumatized Our jobs are killing people Horizontal Work vs Vertical Work Mindset work   Connect with Rob LinkedIn Website YouTube Leadership Launchpad Project Personal 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!

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 Cancer Diagnosis What it was like Changing Perspective Empathy Getting things out of. Controlling it No Matter What "I Win" The Inner Elder Mindset of Abundance vs. a Mindset of Scarcity What is "So" What Stage 4 Cancer Taught Me About Conscious Leadership - YouTube 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!

About Zain With a strong background in fintech and climatetech, Zain has honed his expertise in credit card infrastructure and carbon offsets. Having worked at prominent companies in these fields, Zain has gained invaluable experience and insights. Given his time studying under Geoffrey Hinton, Zain has deep knowledge in neural networks, deep learning, and other advanced AI techniques. As the former head of Engineering for two Silicon Valley-based Climate Technology companies, he possesses expertise in sustainable technology, environmental solutions, and the intersection of technology and climate change. Zain’s passion for utilizing technology to drive positive change has led him to found a successful 150-person engineering consulting firm, Lightci. As the Founder, he is skilled in software development, optimization, and providing technical consultancy to major companies. He continues to make a significant impact on the industry, working on projects for companies like Google and Apple. Today We Talked About Climate Tech AI LightCI Leadership Entrepreneurship Business Knowledge in Tech and Engineering Climate Tech Carbon Offset Carbon Neutral Products Credit Fraud Monitoring using AI Fear of AI Data Restrictions Data Exposure Connect with Zain 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!

About Jim Jim Saliba is a certified coach, public speaker, and seasoned leader with over 30 years of experience in the IT industry. Starting as a software engineer, he rose through the ranks to become the VP of a $4 billion tech company. As the author of the book "The Six-Step Leadership Challenge," Jim shares his expertise and insights on empowering leaders to overcome fears and self-limiting beliefs to unlock true potential. Through his Triple E system – Emerge, Elevate, Excel – he guides individuals to reach their goals and transform their leadership styles. As a PCC-certified coach, Jim has impacted diverse industries and nurtured all levels of leadership. His mission is to "Transform the World of Work" one leader at a time. Today We Talked About Jim's Background Leadership Coaching Core Skills 4 Fears Fear of Incompetence - Impostor Syndrome Fear of Feeling Foolish - FOMO Fear of Failure - Culture of Blame Fear of Vulnerability - Mistrust Self-Awareness & Self-Development 6 Steps Looking at yourself Looking outside of yourself Change your story Building a Strategy - not a plan Empower your story (experiment) Adding Durability to your story 5 Dysfunctions of a team Herding Tigers Retrospectives SCRUM Director level getting stuck Hire your opposite Trust Open Communication Connect with Jim LinkedIn Website 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!

About Matt Matt Frizzell is the Director of Engineering at Customer.io. With over 20 years of experience as a full-stack engineer, he has led diverse teams across industries such as security, advertising, healthcare, and SaaS. Matt is known for his servant leadership style, emphasizing team building and inclusivity. Based near Boston, Massachusetts, he enjoys playing pick-up basketball, mentoring young athletes, gaming with friends, and cherishing family time. Today We Talked To Matt's background Environment Science Maine Imposter Syndrom Resetting your title Stay close to the people you lead Experience what they are feeling The "Rock" employee type Diversity in Engineering Teamwork as a culture Communication - Being Heard Happiness One-on-ones Make yourself Redundant Connect With Matt 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!

About Govind Govind Balu is a visionary entrepreneur and experienced executive with a strong background in data and AI to drive business growth across different industries. As the Founder and CEO of QuaXigma, he spearheads the company’s vision to transform organizations into data-driven enterprises. With an extensive career spanning senior leadership positions at companies such as Allstate, CVS, Walgreens, and Bank of America, he led the deployment of differentiating solutions such as CVS Extracare, Bank of America Preferred Rewards, and AllState GoodHands Rescue programs. Govind observed that small and medium businesses struggle to effectively extract value from data and are unable to compete in a landscape where larger organizations more effectively leverage AI. Motivated by a desire to make data and AI easily accessible to SMBs, Govind founded QuaXigma with a clear mission to develop and deliver solutions that deliver business value by focusing on innovation, customer satisfaction, and strategic consulting. Today We Talk About Govind's background AI Data Analytics Defining Data KPIs - Key Performance Indicators Seeing Data as an asset Net Promoter Score   Connect with Govind LinkedIn (Govind Balu) LinkedIn (QuaXigma) Website Unveiling Hidden Gems from Your Data Free One-Hour Consultation   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!

About Hilario Itriago Hilario Itriago holds a BA from Universidad Metropolitana in Venezuela and an Advanced Certificate for Executives (ACE) in Management, Innovation, and Technology from MIT Sloan School of Management. Currently, he is the President of Boxx Insurance USA, a Zurich-invested cyber insurance company based out of Miami, Florida. Boxx Insurance is all-in-one cyber insurance as well as protection against cyber risk.   Today We Talked About Cyber Insurance Minimum Security Controls Uptick in Ransome Ware Prevention vs. Recovery from Cyber Events Virtual CISO Cyber Insurance for home Connect with Hilario 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!

About Stefanie Stefanie Krievins is a trained coach and facilitator with experience in HR consulting and business coaching. She is the host of the Hot Mess Hotline, a podcast for ambitious leaders who want to drive impactful change. She’s the creator of The Change Architecture which provides a new framework for driving transformation in the 21st century. She has collaborated with organizations from 5 to 50,000 employees in all sectors to create and implement strategic plans, change readiness assessments, and leadership development programs. Her coach training is in solution-focused methodology from Erickson International and she’s a member of the International Coach Federation. She also holds a Master’s degree and has worked in small business and regional and national nonprofits before starting her business in 2014. Today We Talked About Executive Coaching Change Architecture Why is Change Scary? Loss of Autonomy Breath by James Nestor Transparency Change What do you see leaders getting wrong about change? Too much Command and Control - Need to collaborate What are common stumbling blocks on teams and departments when they are trying to get through change? Powerful Meetings Connect With Stefanie Podcast 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!