Digitally Curious

TikTok now has a billion users, so what makes it stand out from Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter?To answer this I spoke with Aaron Goldman, Chief Marketing Officer of MediaOcean, a mission-critical platform for omnichannel advertising that connects brands, agencies, media, technology, and data. Aaron has been in the Marketing industry for over 20 years, including CMO roles at 4C, and Kenshoo, a leading enterprise marketing software company.Aaron was awarded the LinkedIn B2B thought leader of the year in 2020, and is also the author of “Everything I Know about Marketing I Learned from Google” .When he’s not busy Googling himself, Aaron is spending time with his wife and children, and spoke with me from Chicago.Aaron has a deep understanding not just what what makes TikTok so different to other social media platforms, but also how brands should approach this new medium.We covered a lot of ground includingWhat is TikTok?Why is TikTok so engaging?What is the secret to TikTok’s success?Viewing creators as partnersDo brands have a place on TikTok?The growth potential for TikTokComparing Facebook vs Instagram vs Snap vs TikTokHow easy is it to copy the TikTok format?Understanding the mindset of the user on each platformWhere does TikTok fit into the media landscape?Why TikTok is the most akin to TVThe strategic approach to TikTok for brandsMeasuring the impact of creators on TikTokThe social commerce opportunity for brands on TikTokWhen does entertainment become shopping?What is the future of advertising?The value exchange and the value of our own dataThe opportunity for TikTok to start afreshAaron’s experiment to sell his own data on eBayThe rise of digital agents that work for usAdTech and the role Mediaocean playsMediaocean’s partnership with TikTokWhat will advertising on social networks look like in 5 year’s time?Aaron’s virtual watercoolerThe move to a hybrid working modeTurning hybrid working into a competitive advantageEducating children about the healthy use of social media3 Actionable things to do today to better understand TikTokMore on AaronAaron on LinkedInAaron on TwitterMediacocean websiteThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

If you've ever wanted a Masterclass in Web3, NFTs, Cryptocurrency, Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAO) and Decentralised Finance (DeFi) then this 45-minute podcast is for you!I was fortunate to be able to convince Nick Abrahams, the Global Co-leader of Digital Transformation Practice at leading law firm Norton Rose Fulbright to come on the show and give us a very informative, no-nonsense look at some of the hottest topics in technology at the moment.Nick is the founder of the successful online legal site, LawPath (90,000+ users) and he created the world's first AI-enabled privacy chatbot, Parker. He also has a thriving career as a keynote speaker on future trends and innovation.. He is the author of the best selling Kindle books "Big Data, Big Responsibilities" and "Digital Disruption in Australia".He is on the boards of ASX-listed software company Integrated Research ($500M); the global genomics research leader, the Garvan Foundation; the Vodafone Foundation; and the Sydney Film Festival.We had a whirlwind tour around Web3 and the many umbrella topics.I started by asking him for some quick definitions ofWeb3MetaverseNFTCryptocurrencyBlockchainDeFiDAOWe then delved into each in more detail includingWhy is Web3 so important?Establishing ownership with Web3A 3-dimensional experience of the webHow big could the Metaverse become?What does the Metaverse mean for corporates?Companies embracing the MetaverseWhy is Facebook/Meta scared about the Metaverse?Are we being brainwashed by Facebook's view of the Metaverse?Things for brands to consider before they jump into the MetaverseTokens as a new asset classThe concept of TokenomicsLegal implications for the MetaverseThe "MetaBirkin" that upset HermèsHow the legal industry is coming up to speedWe spent some time on the different types of NFTsFlex Club NFTsArt NFTsCollectable NFTsTwinning NFTsGaming NFTsBranded NFTsWe finished our discussion looking at How can corporates best manage NFTs?Cybersecurity concerns around NFTsWhat is the future of blockchain, bitcoin and distributed ledger technologies?What's the hottest thing in crypto at the moment?The future of DeFi - a parallel banking systemDecentralised Autonomous Organizations (DAO)Staying up to date with all these conceptsIf you work In a corporate, or for a brand and someone has asked “should we be in Web3/Crypto/Blockchain or have an NFT” then this podcast is for you.If you’ve heard all these terms and thought aloud “I wish there was one place I could go for a no-nonsense view” then this podcast is for you.More on NickNick on LinkedInNick on TwitterThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

What really goes on behind the scenes to ensure you get the things you order on-line or in person? To find out more, I spoke with Wayne Snyder, Vice President of Retail Strategy for EMEA at Blue Yonder.Wayne has worked in retail for more than 20 years and is a recognised expert in planning and supply chain operations.Wayne argues that with recent advances in technology, we’ve opened a digital window to the consumer, allowing us to go online, and see real-time availability of products in stores.Because we’re making any flaws in the supply chain very visible to the consumer, the need to solve issues becomes even more important, because as consumers we are fickle, and will go anywhere that can help us best.Wayne makes a point that there is an even greater challenge for retailers to make sure the supply chain is not only delighting but exceeding the expectations of customers.We covered many topics related to retail and the supply chain including:Covid's impact on the supply chainThe 2021 Fuel CrisisThe retail industry's impact from the pandemicKey lessons for retail from the pandemicIs there a need for open data in retail?Navigating retail dataThe role of regulation in the retail spaceSharing dataIntermediaries sharing high-level trendsThe change in consumer behaviour due to the pandemicWill consumers shop closer to where they live vs where they work?The move to online shopping as the defaultWhy stores are still dominantDifferentiating between store and online popularityWhat part does technology play in the supply chain?Why Excel shouldn't be running your supply chainThe importance of IoT for the supply chainThe Golden Quarter & Christmas in RetailThe 2022 challenges for retailers?Building resilience into the supply chainThe need for data literacyM&S example of digital enablementThe use of real-time control towers in retailThe move from when things happened to why things happenedWhat's the future for supply chain technologyThe impact of Christmas on the supply chainWhy the supply chain will be holistic, connected & real-timeOpening the digital window to the consumerThe need for the supply chain to exceed customer expectationsUS Retailer inventory accuracy exampleException based reporting focusing on what's importantThe role Blue Yonder plays to help with supply chain fluctuationsThe need for shorter technology deployment cyclesShould consumers care about what goes on behind the scenes?3 Actionable things to do todayMore on WayneWayne on TwitterWayne on LinkedInBlue Yonder WebsiteBooks Wayne is readingUThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

“During the pandemic, Broadband has saved economic collapse and the health system collapse” says Phil Sorsky, Senior Vice president of Worldwide Sales at CommScope. When you think about it, one of the unsung heroes of the last 2 years has been technologies that kept us connected to our families and our work.With the lines between “home” and “office” increasingly blurred due to the rise of remote working, access to reliable connectivity is crucial so that local economies and communities can truly thrive.In the latest episode of The Actionable Futurist Podcast, we explore the future of 5G and fibre technologies and what we can expect around the corner.We also looked at what can be done to narrow the digital divide, especially since we’re now relying on online services even more as a result of the pandemic.Phil has more than 20 years of telecommunications industry experience, having worked for Juniper Networks, Adobe Systems, Cisco Systems and AT&T, and he is a graduate of the University of Birmingham in the UK.In this episode we also discussedNarrowing the digital divideHow 5G can solve the "last mile" problem?The state of 5G in the UKThe rise of "community fibre"Will every home be connected to fibre in the UK in 10 years?How Covid accelerated high-speed broadband adoptionWould a National Broadband Network concept work in the UK?Why Fibre is the answer for faster broadbandThe societal benefits of faster broadbandHow broadband has saved lives and economic collapse during the pandemicCybercrime post-pandemicWill we see more 5G use cases?The uses of 5G with IoTFemtocells to help mobile coverageNew innovations to drive new servicesWhat new developments have come out of the pandemic?3 Actionable things for this weekMore on PhilPhil on TwitterPhil on LinkedInCommScope websiteThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

How does a university project to index the entire Oxford English Dictionary become one of the world’s largest information management companies with revenues of over $3Bn? To find out I spoke with Muhi Majzoub, Executive Vice President & Chief Product Officer of OpenText who leads the product development and strategy for the company as well as their transition to the cloud.Muhi has over 30 years of experience in technology, including 10 years at OpenText, and 16 years at Oracle as VP for Engineering and Application Development. Muhi is coming to us today from California.In this episode we coveredOpenText's originsInnovations that delightWhere do the best ideas come from?Sparking ideas with a distributed workforceMuhi's first experience of cloud computingOpenText's journey to the cloudPublic vs Private CloudsThe benefits of moving to the cloudKeeping the cloud secureCloud technology + supply chainsWhat's the future of Cloud?Cloud as part of the net-zero solutionWhat is an API Cloud?The different clouds from OpenTextHow cloud has helped industries over the pandemicThe future of information management3 actionable things around moving to the cloudMore on MuhiMuhi on TwitterMuhi on LinkedInOpenText websiteThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

We hear a lot about digital transformation, and my guest Helena Nimmo thinks this term is outdated and should be replaced with digital acceleration.She argues that Digital Transformation suggests that you have a blank canvas and that is rarely true, she prefers to talk about Digital Acceleration and building on what you already have.Helena knows a lot about this subject as the Chief Information Officer for Endava, a public technology company that is reimagining the relationship between people and technology.Helena joined Endava in 2019 and has been in the technology industry for over 20 years. A native of Finland, she started her career at Finnish technology giant Nokia in the logistics division before joining Symbian software and moving to London in 1999. She also worked in senior roles in publishing with Euro Monitor and Thomson Reuters.Helena thinks that data is what makes technology relevant, and prefers the term “digital acceleration” to that of “digital transformation”.In this episode we discussed:How a CIO needs to manage “Shadow IT” in an organisationHow the pandemic exposed issues of digital breakageThe extra tools a CIO needs to support a distributed workforceWhy boards should be taking cybersecurity more seriously The industries that have more rapidly adopted digital acceleration projectsHelena’s views on digital literacyHer key learnings as a manager during the pandemicHow to stay up to date with all the new technologies and platforms that are appearing More on HelenaHelena on LinkedInEndava websiteAngela Marsons Crime WriterThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

When we think about the components that go together to make the internet work we probably think of browsers and IP addresses but there is one critical component that brings it together - the Domain Name System or DNS. It's the reason behind when you type cnn.com you end up on the right website.The design of DNS is more than 30 years old, but still is a critical point of the internet today.In October 2021, a misconfiguration error caused Facebook to disappear from the internet for nearly 7 hours. To understand the notion of DNS better, we spoke with Michael Kaczmarek who is the former VP of Product Management at Neustar Security Solutions. Michael directed the research efforts into distributed denial of service attacks and DNS trends for Neustar working closely with the cross-functional team to publish insights on changes in the cybersecurity landscape.Prior to joining Neustar, Michael was with Verisign for more than 18 years where he served in various capacities including VP of product management and marketing.Prior to Verisign, he was a systems engineering manager for Lockheed Martin in charge of their Solid Rocket Motor Disposition in Russia Program.Michael is a Ponemon Fellow and holds a Bachelor of Science in aerospace engineering from the University of Maryland and a Master of Engineering in environmental engineering from Johns Hopkins University.In this wide-ranging discussion, we looked at How Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks are on the riseHow AI can be used to detect cyber threatsWhat the Internet 3.0 might look likeWhat the Facebook 2021 outage tells us about DNSWhat to look for in a DNS providerWhy every business owner should care about DNSThe top3 cybersecurity trendsNew threats such as API securityAnalysis of a real DNS hackWhy Cybersecurity needs to concern every boardThree top cybersecurity tipsIf you are truly digitally curious, then you will want to listen to this episode in full.More about MichaelLinkedInTwitterNeustar Security SolutionsThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

This special episode of the podcast was recorded live in front of an audience in February 2022 as one of a number of popular events run by the Institution of Engineers Australia UK Chapter. It features a panel of experts discussing a very interesting subject that of space-based solar power.I was joined on stage by Martin Soltau Co-Chair Space Energy Initiative & Space Business Lead at Frazer-Nash ConsultancyDr Alice Bunn CEO Institution of Mechanical EngineersSam Adlen Chief Strategy Officer, Satellite Applications Catapult andAli Stickings Space Strategy lead at Fraser Nash ConsultancyYou will also hear remarks from Mark Garnier, MP for Wyre Forest who is Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Space, and Chair of The Space Energy Initiative Advisory Board as well as Nick Wayth Chief Executive at The Energy Institute.To provide some context around this episode and the topic, we all accept that fossil fuels are not a sustainable form of energy, and renewable energy such as solar and wind have issues when it is cloudy or calm.This event was part of The Institution of Engineers Australia UK Chapter's monthly “Spring Forward” hybrid lecture series to look at a potential new form of energy – Space-Based Solar Power.The concept is not new – it was first mooted by Isaac Asimov as science fiction in the 1940s, and in 1968, Dr Peter Glaser of Arthur D. Little introduced the concept of using microwaves for power transmission from geosynchronous orbit to an Earth-based rectifying antenna.Since then, technology has advanced on several fronts to remove some technological and economic barriers to practical full-scale implementation.Issues covered in this episode include:How Space-Based power actually worksThe opportunity for generating power from spaceHow to overcome challenges in commercialising this technologyHow space-based solar power contributes to the net-zero debateThe future of space-based solar power generationHow Space solar power gives Governments optionsSolar power vs Nuclear FusionWhat will the solution cost?The regulatory risksThe role of GovernmentThe security concernsWho regulates the space segmentThe spin-off benefitsWhat are other countries doing?The UK-Australia Space BridgeThe Space Energy InitiativeThe job creation opportunitiesNick Wayth Chief Executive at Energy Institute commentsAudience question: How can the UK maintain a lead in this area?Audience question: What is happening in Australia?Audience question: What can go wrong?MarThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

We've learned much about how to work remotely over the last 2 years, but how will these changes impact the education sector? To answer this I invited  Mark Sweeney, who is the Regional Vice President for Citrix in the UK & Ireland onto this episode of the podcast.Mark has over 25 years of experience in business innovation, and a key focus has been innovation within the technical professional services field.He has researched how automating professional services engagements through artificial intelligence and robotic process automation could modernise the consulting business. In his current role at Citrix, his primary focus is working with customers on delivering consistent employee experience, as well as awareness to the concept of hybrid learning within the higher education vertical.Mark believes that much like evolutionary designs for the workplace, campus-based learning could be the place for collaboration and practical work while formal teaching could be delivered virtually.On this episode we covered:What Citrix does todayCitrix Hybrid Learning study resultsWhat is "Blended Learning"?The evolution of the classroomWhat has the pandemic taught us about how to work & learn remotely?How do we enable educators to use the technologies that supports remote learning?Has higher education changed forever as a result of Covid?What investment do we need to effectively deploy remote learning solutions?Why IT staff will become more critical for blended learningTele-teaching in 1994The need for "Zoom Rooms"How to best engage the online learners as well as those in the roomGamifying the virtual experienceShould students pay less for virtual education?What is the role of the campus going forward?Up-skilling educators on new remote learning technologiesPreparing students for the hybrid world of worCitrix Company culture survey findings Asynchronous vs Synchronous remote working & learning experiencesAre candidates seeking roles that support remote working? Maintaining fairness for employees choosing to be remoteAvoiding "Location bias"The issue of "presenteeism" - favouring output vs attendance  Mark's biggest Covid-19 learnings  How Mark has changed as a manager due to Covid The need for a consistent experience when we move between home & office  Actionable Advice to prepare for a hybrid world of work and learning  Planning for the next disruptive event More on MarkLinkedInMark's BlogBlog on Blended LearningThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

To understand the future of the market research industry, my guest is Tom Smith, Founder and CEO of GWI. Having spent several years working agency side, he recognised a growing demand for global data to better understand the complex online market, coupling the world's largest ongoing study on the digital consumer with powerful analytics. GWI is now the leading provider of digital consumer insights to the global marketing industry.My favourite section of the podcast was where Tom said"People think data is the new oil, and we’re all sitting on this very valuable commodity. The better comparison is that data is like sand. Until you do something with the information, it lacks real value. It’s the processing it's the presentation, it’s the aggregation and millions of people’s data aggregated at scale is a highly valuable product."Tom argues that the market research industry has utterly failed the needs of its consumers in today's global marketplace - this is a bold statement and something Tom addresses in detail in this episode.In this episode, we look at:Why Tom started GWIThe changing needs of the market research industryHow traditional market research methods have evolvedWhat problems GWI solvesHow Ad blockers, GDPR and other regulations have changed collection methodologyWhere AI fits into modern market research methodsThe future of market researchBeing an EntrepreneurMore on TomLinkedInTwitterGWI WebsiteIn February 2024, to celebrate Facebook's 20th birthday, we spoke to Jason Mander from GWI - listen to this podcast here.Thanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious