

Tech for Non-Techies
Sophia Matveeva
Tech for Non-Techies helps Business Leaders have great careers in the Digital Age, with episodes on innovation, digital transformation, start-ups and how technology is changing business.
Learn tech concepts, apply them to business strategy, and get practical advice on how to succeed as a Digital Leader today.
Learn how to work with tech clients, transition career, succeed in digital transformation and start a company as a non-technical founder.
Tech for Non-Techies is for:
- Leaders in corporates going through digital transformation
- Non-technical founders
- Professionals who want to transition into a career in tech
- Tech investors
Hosted by tech entrepreneur, executive coach and Chicago Booth MBA Sophia Matveeva.
Learn tech concepts, apply them to business strategy, and get practical advice on how to succeed as a Digital Leader today.
Learn how to work with tech clients, transition career, succeed in digital transformation and start a company as a non-technical founder.
Tech for Non-Techies is for:
- Leaders in corporates going through digital transformation
- Non-technical founders
- Professionals who want to transition into a career in tech
- Tech investors
Hosted by tech entrepreneur, executive coach and Chicago Booth MBA Sophia Matveeva.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jun 5, 2024 • 15min
206. How to choose the right No Code tools for your project
No code tools can help you build an app for just 1% of the cost that you would pay developers. Amazing! But how do you know which no code tools to use? Listen to this episode to find out. In this episode, you will learn: The four questions you need to answer to help you choose the right No Code tool What to know about your user before you start building a tool Why you don't need to worry about scale from the start -- To discuss a corporate training program for your organisation, book a consultation call here. Happy clients include The Royal Bank of Scotland, Oxford University and Constellation Brands. --- We love hearing from our readers and listeners. So if you have questions about the content or working with us, just get in touch on info@techfornontechies.co Say hi to Sophia on Twitter and follow her on LinkedIn. Following us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok will make you smarter.

May 29, 2024 • 16min
205. What the No Code Revolution is and why it matters
No code tools have opened opportunities up for innovators, and especially for non-technical founders. But, they have their limits, and not everybody thinks that they’re a great idea. Listen to this episode to learn what the No Code revolution is and when No code tools are a must have, and when they should be avoided. In this episode you will learn: Why successful wealthy corporates choose to use No Code tools instead of building custom software When a start-up founder should use No Code tools, and when to avoid them What No Code tools to use to build an app or an e-learning business Why investors are wary of No Code tools Listen here on Apple Listen here on Spotify -- To discuss a corporate training program for your organisation, book a consultation call here. Happy clients include The Royal Bank of Scotland, Oxford University and Constellation Brands. --- We love hearing from our readers and listeners. So if you have questions about the content or working with us, just get in touch on info@techfornontechies.co Say hi to Sophia on Twitter and follow her on LinkedIn. Following us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok will make you smarter.

May 22, 2024 • 16min
204. How corporates stay successful. Lessons from The Innovator's Dilemma part 2
As generative AI shakes up industries, those who don't choose to innovate, won't survive. Let's learn from past disruptions. Why did Sears lose their top spot as America's favourite retailer, but Hewlett Packard continue to make new products and grow? By understanding how corporates navigated technological change before, we can create a plan for the future. This is part 2 in this mini series on The Innovator's Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail by Clayton M. Christensen. Listen to this episode to learn: Why corporate leaders choose to ignore new opportunities and what to do about it What is reasonable to expect of an innovation unit (and what isn't) When tolerating failure is appropriate and when it's unacceptable FREE GUIDE: Innovate but how? the pragmatist's guide to growth (in business & in life) --- To discuss a corporate training program for your organisation, book a consultation call here. Happy clients include The Royal Bank of Scotland, Oxford University and Constellation Brands. --- We love hearing from our readers and listeners. So if you have questions about the content or working with us, just get in touch on info@techfornontechies.co Say hi to Sophia on Twitter and follow her on LinkedIn. Following us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok will make you smarter.

May 15, 2024 • 19min
203. Why do great companies fail? Innovator's Dilemma part 1
Clayton M. Christensen, the mastermind behind the term 'disruptive innovation,' explores why giants like Kodak and Blockbuster faltered in the digital age. He reveals that successful companies can be blindsided by disruptive startups, often ignoring emerging threats. Listeners learn why prioritizing customer feedback can backfire and how low-budget startups can outmaneuver established firms. Utilizing case studies, Christensen emphasizes the urgent need for adaptability in business strategy to avoid falling victim to the very innovations they once led.

May 8, 2024 • 17min
202. The opportunity is NOW
There is a gap between when a technology gets invented, and its wide adaption. In this gap, is exactly where the best opportunities lie. Listen to this episode to learn why we are in the time of opportunity, and how to make the most of it. You will learn: What the path that electricity took from invention to adaption can teach us about digital transformation today Why companies still have terrible chatbots, while ChatGPT was the most popular app of all time Three steps to make the most of today's opportunity Podcast episodes mentioned in this episode: 101. How companies really use AI 128. Business reality doesn’t match AI hype (yet) 155. How generative AI is changing business and the economy FREE Course: 5 Tech Concepts Every Business Leader Needs To Know --- To discuss a corporate training program for your organisation, book a consultation call here. Happy clients include Blackstone x Techstars Launchpad, Oxford University and Constellation Brands. --- We love hearing from our readers and listeners. So if you have questions about the content or working with us, just get in touch on info@techfornontechies.co Say hi to Sophia on Twitter and follow her on LinkedIn. Following us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok will make you smarter.

May 1, 2024 • 30min
201. What can lawyers teach tech founders?
Today, less than 10% of Fortune 500 companies are considered to be tech companies. We are still at the beginning of the tech opportunity. You don’t have to be a technologist to benefit from this rising tide. If you work in professional services and wondering which client niche to pick, the tech sector is a very good bet. There will be new companies being formed and bought, stock market IPOs and licensing deals to be made. As the tech sector grows, innovators and their investors will need to work with lawyers, bankers and accountants. They will chose those who understand the industry. If you want that to be you, listen to this episode and come to our free class for lawyers. In this episode, you will learn from Daniel Glazer, Managing Partner of Wilson Sonsini's London office. Wilson Sonsini specialises in advising tech companies and venture capitalists, and has its origins in Silicon Valley. In this episode you will learn: The difference between a lawyer and a strategic advisor What lawyers need to know about tech to advise tech clients What kind of help lawyers offer start-ups as they grow Differences between the US and UK legal systems FREE Class: Get Tech Clients! Introduction to Tech for Lawyers --- To discuss a corporate training program for your organisation, book a consultation call here. Happy clients include Blackstone x Techstars Launchpad, Oxford University and Constellation Brands. --- We love hearing from our readers and listeners. So if you have questions about the content or working with us, just get in touch on info@techfornontechies.co Say hi to Sophia on Twitter and follow her on LinkedIn. Following us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok will make you smarter.

Apr 24, 2024 • 20min
200. Five lessons from building Tech for Non-Techies
Five years ago, I was selling tickets to my classes for $20 on Eventbrite, and today, my company works with governments, corporates and successful leaders around the world. I have taught my course at London Business School, Oxford and Techstars and written for the Harvard Business Review. On this anniversary episode, I’m going to share how I built Tech for Non-Techies, and the entrepreneurial lessons I learnt along the way. Listen to learn: How TFNT went from $20 ticket sales to six figure corporate contracts What to do now if you want to build a venture How to scale without investor funding The difference between success and failure that you won't learn at business school Resources mentioned in this episode: Episode 100. My story: ambition, tech and the camel incident --- To discuss a corporate training program for your organisation, book a consultation call here. Happy clients include Blackstone x Techstars Launchpad, Oxford University and Constellation Brands. --- We love hearing from our readers and listeners. So if you have questions about the content or working with us, just get in touch on info@techfornontechies.co Say hi to Sophia on Twitter and follow her on LinkedIn. Following us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok will make you smarter.

Apr 17, 2024 • 14min
199. How to become a Digital Leader
In this episode, you will learn what leadership means in the Digital Age, and 3 things you can do to become a Digital Leader today. Listen to learn: Why being a leader isn't just being a visionary What it means to lead in the Digital Age How to learn about the frontier trends in your industry Resources mentioned in this episode: Choosing Leadership: Revised and Expanded: How to Create a Better Future by Building Your Courage, Capacity, and Wisdom FREE Course 5 Tech Concepts Every Business Leader Needs To Know --- To discuss a corporate training program for your organisation, book a consultation call here. Happy clients include Blackstone x Techstars Launchpad, Oxford University and Constellation Brands. --- We love hearing from our readers and listeners. So if you have questions about the content or working with us, just get in touch on info@techfornontechies.co Say hi to Sophia on Twitter and follow her on LinkedIn. Following us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok will make you smarter.

Apr 10, 2024 • 31min
198. What Business Leaders need to know about cybersecurity risk
Cybersecurity risk is a business risk. If there is a data leak, customers and investors aren't going to be happy. But, as more and more of our services are online, cybersecurity problems are now just part of business life. In this episode, you will hear a pragmatic approach for how to think about cybersecurity, and what you can do to increase it at your organisation today. You will learn from Dr. Josiah Dykstra, who spent 19 years at the National Security Agency (NSA). Today, Dr Dykstra is the Director of Strategic Initiatives at Trail of Bits. Listen to this episode to learn: What cybersecurity is How to think about cybersecurity risk Why you don't need to change your password as often as you think Easy ways to prevent a data leak --- To discuss a corporate training program for your organisation, book a consultation call here. Happy clients include Blackstone x Techstars Launchpad, Oxford University and Constellation Brands. --- We love hearing from our readers and listeners. So if you have questions about the content or working with us, just get in touch on info@techfornontechies.co Say hi to Sophia on Twitter and follow her on LinkedIn. Following us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok will make you smarter.

Apr 3, 2024 • 19min
197. Six ways to innovate
While most of us agree that innovation is a “good thing,” we don’t actually agree on what it is, or how to do it. Listen to this episode to understand what innovation really is, and why you're already an effective innovator. In this episode, you will learn: The two things every company must focus on What innovation is Six pathways to innovation How to apply innovation strategies to business and to your personal life This episode is the first chapter in the report by Tech for Non-Techies and University of Chicago researchers called Innovate but how? The pragmatist’s guide to growth --- To discuss a corporate training program for your organisation, book a consultation call here. Happy clients include Blackstone x Techstars Launchpad, Oxford University and Constellation Brands. --- We love hearing from our readers and listeners. So if you have questions about the content or working with us, just get in touch on info@techfornontechies.co Say hi to Sophia on Twitter and follow her on LinkedIn. Following us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok will make you smarter.