Tech Leader Talk

On today's episode, I'm talking Ali Davachi, who is a serial entrepreneur with 25 years of experience working with Fortune 500 organizations in healthcare, consumer products, and financial services. He helps businesses develop innovative solutions that save money and support new business opportunities. Ali is a Digital Transformation expert and shows companies how to stay focused on business outcomes. During our discussion, he shares his story of going from medical school to the world of technology. "Digital transformation means meeting companies and clients where they are." – Ali Davachi Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast: How companies can stay focused on business outcomes Why Digital Transformation is so important today Ali's approach to helping entrepreneurs and small companies that are just getting started A process for incremental testing, measurement, and adjustment Mentioned Resources: Realware Connect with Ravi: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alidavachi/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/adavachi Thanks for listening! Be sure to get your free copy of Steve's latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.

Are you following your passion? On today's episode, I have a fun conversation with Paul Baron where Paul talks about the importance of following your passion. Paul is the CEO of The Wall Printer, which produces printers that can print vertically. He started his career as a high school teacher, then became an entrepreneur who has started several businesses. In addition to running The Wall Printer, Paul serves as a mentor at the Univ. of North Carolina – Wilmington and at their Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. He also serves on advisory boards at non-profit organizations and privately held businesses. On this episode, Paul and I discuss his thoughts on mentoring and how he has developed creative teams at high-tech startups. "To have the best opportunity for success, you need to learn which hats (activities) you like to wear and the ones you don't like to wear. Then move towards the activities you enjoy and that benefit the stakeholders." – Paul Baron Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast: - Tips for developing creative teams in high-tech startups - Attracting and retaining great employees - Lessons learned from being a mentor - Making the jump from high school teacher to entrepreneur - Following your passion Demo Video of The Wall Printer in action: https://thewallprinter.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/10-Sec-Oak-Island-Loop.mp4 Connect with Paul Baron: Website: https://thewallprinter.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pbbaron/ Thanks for listening! Be sure to get your free copy of Steve's latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.

It's hard to believe that there's less than two months left in 2022. That means 2023 is just around the corner. Since the new year is approaching fast, on this episode I talk about three things you can do now to be sure your Patent Strategy is off to a good start in 2023. The three things I recommend are: Check for patent filing deadlines. Educate your team regarding how to identify inventions AND encourage them to submit their ideas. Create a group of people to evaluate the inventions submitted by your team. I discuss all three of these activities in today's episode. If you're ready to start building (or expanding) your patent portfolio in 2023, now is a great time to get started. "There are three activities that automatically trigger a 12-month patent filing deadline in the United States." – Steve Sponseller Questions? If you have any questions about building a strong portfolio of patents, contact me to schedule a Free Introductory Call so I can help you with your next steps. Contact me via email: Steve@SteveSponseller.com Or visit my website: https://www.SteveSponseller.com Download my free white paper, InventLock™ Protection Guide for Tech Startups, at: https://stevesponseller.com/guide Thanks for listening! Be sure to get your free copy of my latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover my proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.

Are you moving fast enough? On today's episode, I have a wonderful discussion with Nick Donofrio, who has spent most of his life as a technology leader. Although Nick had countless accomplishments, he wonders if he was moving fast enough. Nick worked in various roles at IBM for 44 years. During that time, he redefined innovation at IBM and initiated worldwide collaboration for the company. Nick was the first Executive Vice President of Innovation and Technology at IBM. And, he was named one of Business Week's 25 top innovation champions. Nick is the author of the book: If Nothing Changes, Nothing Changes. The book discusses how Nick and others led IBM's global technical team. During our discussion, Nick talks about how Innovation played an important role in IBM's transformation during his 44 years at the company. I'm sure you will enjoy this discussion (and get some tips for your own business, like I did) as Nick shares his knowledge and experiences during his many years at IBM. "Transforming IBM into an innovation company was all about value creation." – Nick Donofrio Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast: - How IBM was transformed into an innovation company - Helping your team members be more successful - The role of Nick's mom in his career Nick's Book: If Nothing Changes, Nothing Changes: https://www.amazon.com/If-Nothing-Changes-Donofrio-Story/dp/1544531346 Connect with Nick Donofrio: Website: https://www.nickdonofriobook.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-donofrio-7588609/ Download Steve's free white paper, InventLock™ Protection Guide for Tech Startups, at: https://stevesponseller.com/guide Thanks for listening! Be sure to get your free copy of Steve's latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.

Eric is a best selling author, speaker, and pragmatic futurist. Eric is focused on addressing disruption by increasing the creative capacity of individuals, teams, and organizations to ignite change, innovation, and foster continuous growth. Eric has an undergraduate degree in engineering, an MBA in Information Systems, and a Ph.D. in Global Leadership. His doctoral work primarily explored complexity sciences centered on executive cognition and their use of intuitive improvisation, decision-making, artificial intelligence, and data-based decision models. Eric's recent book, Surfing Rogue Waves released last year. His love of being active and outdoors led him to use the parallels between life and surfing as a metaphor for how we can deal with the changes happening around us. "If we don't 'ride' the 4th Industrial Revolution, we will be left behind." – Eric Pilon-Bignell Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast: - What is the 4th Industrial Revolution and how is it changing the world - How surfing is related to the 4th Industrial Revolution - Why disruption is the new normal - Technology advancements are happening exponentially faster and converging with each other Resources Mentioned: Eric's Book: Surfing Rogue Waves Connect with Eric Pilon-Bignell: Website: http://ericpb.me LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericpilonbignell/ Thanks for listening! Be sure to get your free copy of Steve's latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.

Are you practicing user-centered design? On this episode, I talk with Eric Weiss, who is an Executive Coach to fast-growing tech companies. He is also the Host of the Chaos to Clarity podcast. For the past 15 years, Eric has helped companies build amazing products, engage their customers, find the right product-market fit, raise capital, and scale their businesses quickly. Eric has been obsessed with technology since he was a child, which led him to the work he's doing today with tech companies. He loves helping tech founders build and implement their product strategy to grow their companies. During our discussion, Eric talks about challenges facing tech companies today and how to overcome those challenges. Eric also shares a great tip to organize your week and schedule focus blocks in your calendar every day. "Tech leaders can be a bottleneck to their company's growth if they don't let go of some activities." – Eric Weiss Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast: - The importance of user-centered design - Engaging with customers early and often - Eric's "continuous discovery" system - The "weekly sprint" Eric uses to stay focused Eric's Podcast: Chaos to Clarity podcast: https://www.fullcycleproduct.com/podcast Connect with Eric Weiss: Website: https://www.fullcycleproduct.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericmweiss/ Download Steve's free white paper, InventLock™ Protection Guide for Tech Startups, at: https://stevesponseller.com/guide Thanks for listening! Be sure to get your free copy of Steve's latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.

In this episode, Marco Silva and I have a great discussion about artificial intelligence and cloud technologies. Marco lives in Portugal and is a Cloud Solution Architect for Microsoft with many years of experience. As a Cloud Solution Architect, he challenges customers with new ideas and new ways to use cloud technologies. Marco has experience in Computer Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, and Computer Graphics. He is part of the AI Ambassador team at Microsoft, which means he empowers people to leverage AI and create new uses of AI. Marco is also a professional speaker and teaches courses on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning at ISEG in Lisbon, Portugal. "Simulated environments are necessary for learning anywhere." – Marco Silva Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast: - Why every business needs AI - New business models that didn't exist until a year or two ago - Digital transformation includes looking at AI for your business - A new pricing model for Rolls-Royce airplane engines that optimizes AI - What you must have to effectively use Machine Learning in your company Resources Mentioned: Microsoft Mesh – A collaboration and communications platform developed by Microsoft. Connect with Marco Silva: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marconsilva/ Thanks for listening! Be sure to get your free copy of Steve's latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.

Are you looking for a new approach to create unique products? On this podcast episode, I have a great discussion with Mike Rizkalla, the CEO and co-founder of Snorble. Snorble makes an interactive companion for children that helps promote the development of healthy habits. Mike is a visionary entrepreneur with a deep understanding of robotics, innovation, and user experiences. He enjoys merging different technologies together in a unique way. Mike also loves innovation and experimenting with "Crazy Ideas." And, he shares his story of being a guitarist in a Canadian punk rock band and what he learned from that experience. During our call, Mike discusses building strong organizational cultures across a team of diverse talents, which he has done with Snorble. And, he talks about how he came up with the idea for the Snorble product. "Many of the lessons I use in business came from my experience as a musician in a Canadian Punk Rock band." – Mike Rizkalla Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast: - Mike's approach to creating innovative products - Building strong teams with diverse talent - Combining multiple technologies to create new things - How Mike came up with the idea of pairing AI/robotics with kids' sleep - Incorporating innovation into your regular business operations Connect with Mike Rizkalla: Website: https://snorble.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikerizkalla/ Thanks for listening! Be sure to get your free copy of Steve's latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.

Are you struggling to understand your company's financial data? On today's podcast episode, I talk with Rami Essaid about his experience founding and growing several tech companies. Rami is the CEO and co-founder of Finmark, which provides financial planning software for fast-growing companies. He has also founded two other startups, both of which were acquired. Rami is passionate about disrupting industries with technological innovations – from bot detection and mitigation to Excel-based financial modeling. He founded Finmark based on seeing first-hand the many difficulties faced by companies attempting to implement financial modeling. On this episode, Rami and I discuss tips for treating team members well and how to talk to your customers to identify issues with your product or service. "I don't want to build a 'me too' product. I want to create an order of magnitude improvement." – Rami Essaid Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast: - Rami's approach to disrupting industries - Helping entrepreneurs bring their visions to life - Creating a second tier of management to support scalability - Problems companies face today with their financial data - The value of user interviews Connect with Rami Essaid: Website: https://finmark.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/ramiessaid Thanks for listening! Be sure to get your free copy of Steve's latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.

Is your company leveraging the latest data sharing and data storage technologies? On today's episode, I am talking with Tim Wagner. Tim is the CEO of Vendia, which provides a platform that combines next generation blockchain with a serverless infrastructure. Tim is passionate about growing teams within organizations and innovating problems related to data sharing. He also has technical knowledge in programming languages, modern databases, and algorithm design. On today's episode, Tim and I discuss the power of combining serverless architectures with blockchain technologies. We also discuss the value of transparency in your organization and growing strong teams. "If you're going to build a blockchain technology that services millions of customers, you need access to enough silicon to do that." – Tim Wagner Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast: - Current data sharing and data storage trends - The importance of transparency in your business - Tips for growing strong teams - The power of combining blockchain with serverless infrastructures - The growth of multi-cloud systems Connect with Tim Wagner: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timawagner/ Website: https://www.vendia.net/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/timallenwagner Thanks for listening! Be sure to get your free copy of Steve's latest book, Cracking the Patent Code, and discover his proven system for identifying and protecting your most valuable inventions. Get the book at https://stevesponseller.com/book.