Twins Talk Tech Leadership

How can organizations use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to gain a competitve edge? Even if you are a small business, implementing AI at scale can bolster a company's brand, improve team effectiveness and increase success. As AI continues to develop and become more commonplace, many have started to use it to gain a competitive advantage over their rivals; over the larger enterprises.Co-Founder & CBDO at Hexact inc, Armen A. Avakian speaks about the importance of having AI tools and Data accessible for all organizations. Hexact is a no-code workflow automation suite of tools made easy. Armen also sheds light into:His Marketing leadership journey.Life as a University Professor.Navigated challenges and uncertainty, particularly in VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous) times.Clear distinction between Humancentric Marketing vs Customer-centricity approach How technologies like GPT are but ‘infrastructures’ and are keys to improving productivity. His YouTube Channel @notforeveryone.To learn more about Armen and Hexact, visit hexact.io and to become an investor visit www.startengine.com/offering/hexact

What would acquiring Olympic-Level confidence mean for you and your organization? The top performers in the world believe in and invest in coaching. This conversation was so amazing, we had to release this one on both of our programs.Sheryl Kline is a mental toughness and high performance coach. Her focus is on empowering female leaders to gain clarity on their legacy, build that Olympic-level confidence and to increase their ‘FBI Strategic’ influence.Studies have shown that having women in key positions of leadership increases both profitability and sustainability of the workforce. Two things that can hold women back from having influence: anger and invisibility. Sheryl has experienced more of her practice moving from an emphasis on mental toughness toward that of emotional agility under pressure. Some additional insight:Step into the leader you want to be todayGive yourself permission - empower yourselfRest is needed to rechargeStress and procrastination costs companies $1.8 Trillion dollarsFuture CastingHer 3-1-1sSister company, 'Girl Up Initiative Uganda'Be sure to listen to her Limitless Leader podcast and visit sherylkline.com/getacquainted  Pick up her book called, Zoned In: The Mental Toughness required for World Class You and be on the lookout for her next project to be released early 2024 called, The Fearless Female Leader

Kevin Hooper has throughout his career taken on numerous Senior Executive roles, including both Geo and Global for businesses ranging from $45M to over $4B in annual revenues. He values mentorship and teaching leadership principles and in Part 2 of our discussion with Kevin:We learn how he became involved with supporting a business and entrepreneurship incubatorThe evolution of the Sales ProfessionalHis advice for sales leaders including the value of storytelling and realizing that customers may not fully understand their own buying processHis new YouTube channel, @HanginwithMrHooperYou have to be willing to learn from other leaders and to remember that "information is useless if you don't have the skills to execute.'Connect with Kevin at linkedin.com/in/hooperkevin/ and subscribe to his new YouTube channel, youtube.com/@HanginwithMrHooper

How do you successfully lead teams through change? We are fortunate to have this opportunity to pick the mind of an incredible thought leader, with a proven track record of delivering results. Kevin Hooper is a seasoned senior executive and change management consultant with a passion for Strategy, Business Transformation and elevating leaders. In Part 1 of our conversation:We ask Kevin about his leadership journeyWhy leaders need to keep learning & growing in their Emotional IntelligenceWhy you shouldn’t be afraid to 'rip off someone if they give you words of wisdom’A book he shares with all leaders entitled, First, Break All The Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently.Lessons from the PandemicCommunication is vital for success as a leader. Focus on your rockstars and remember that the future is for those who have the aptitude to be great.Connect with Kevin at linkedin.com/in/hooperkevin/ and subscribe to his new YouTube channel, youtube.com/@HanginwithMrHooper

Threat landscape analysis makes it possible to see potential and identified information security vulnerabilities, while formulating preventive measures by adopting a proactive approach to information security. Trammie Anderson, Chief Strategy Officer of Vonahi Security shares how their vPenTest, a SaaS platform for MSPs, enables automated network penetration testing at only a fraction of the cost of an outsourced consultant.Vonahi has won numerous awards and has been recognized within the Channel for their innovative approach and services. They were also named Best Security Solution at IT Nation Connect. Trammie reflects back on her experience as a participant and lets us into what fuels her growth mindset.Connect with Trammie on LinkedIn and visit vonahi.io to schedule a Demo and a free Trial. This is the third of our special 3-Episode Series with another Finalist from last year’s ConnectWise PitchIT contest. Sean Lardo, Channel Evangelist with ConnectWise joins the discussion and extends an invitation to apply:Become one of the 3-Finalists to compete at IT Nation in NovemberA 16-week accelerator program1st place prize of $70,0002nd place prize $30,000To learn more about the Pitch Competition visit connectwise.com/theitnation/pitchit

What’s the best methodology and platform for MSPs to successfully manage incidents; one that integrates seamlessly to enrich alerts and automate workflows? Kamalesh Srikanth, Head of Customer Success at AlertOps joins us to speak about his experience with the ConnectWise Pitch IT competition as well as how their solution provides a real time automated alert management & response tool, helping to increase the efficiency of service desks. AlertOpts was the Winner of the 2022 emerging tech program.Manage the unexpected with confidence by implementing a response and alerting SaaS based solution that provides the necessary flexibility and ability to extract and interact with other tools and integration partners. We ask Kam about what he has learned about himself from speaking and presenting their pitch. To learn more about Kamalesh and AlertOps, connect with him on LinkedIn or visit alertops.com/This is the second of our special 3-Episode Series with another Finalist from last year’s ConnectWise PitchIT contest. Sean Lardo, Channel Evangelist with ConnectWise also graces these episodes, speaking to the value of participating in the competition:Become one of the 3-Finalists to compete at IT Nation in NovemberA 16-week accelerator program1st place prize of $70,0002nd place prize $30,000To learn more about the Pitch Competition visit connectwise.com/theitnation/pitchit

What does it mean to humanize technology and why is this needed? How can being able to clearly communicate the value of technology lead to greater success? We are fortunate to have Adam Walter, President of Humanize IT join us to share about his framework for supporting MSPs. This is the first of a special 3-Episode Series with 3 of the participants from last year’s ConnectWise PitchIT contest. Sean Lardo, Channel Evangelist with ConnectWise also graces these episodes, speaking to the value of participating in the competition:Become one of the 3-Finalists to compete at IT Nation in NovemberA 16-week accelerator program1st place prize of $70,0002nd place prize $30,000Adam and Humanize IT took home the 'Most Innovative Solution' award and went on to validate that acknowledgment with other awards. His encouragement for those interested in participating in the Pitch IT contest:Pay attention and learnNetworkForge new relationships. Find those “who can cover the gaps of what you don't know.”Give a listen to Adam’s Humanize IT podcast and learn more about Humanize IT by visiting managedservicesplatform.com/To learn more about the Pitch Competition visit connectwise.com/theitnation/pitchit

Why should your organization invest in something that you hope you will never need? Cyber attacks happen more frequently than you might imagine. In these times, we cannot stress enough the importance of businesses purchasing cyber insurance. Desraie Thomas, Sr. Channel Development Manager at DataStream Cyber Insurance joins us to speak about her leadership journey and her focus within the Channel.Desraie speaks about the importance of inviting leaders and influencers to support your professional growth. She is passionate about taking that same spirit and pouring it into other women in the tech sector.She speaks about the value of attending conferences and events; as these provide opportunities to strengthen professional relationships while refining your personal brand. She makes clear that a brand doesn’t necessarily reflect where you work or with what products you represent. Leaders connect with her because of her knowledge, network and for how she carries herself. To learn more about Desraie, connect with her on LinkedIn, meet her at an upcoming conference or visit datastreaminsurance.com/

In an ocean full of products and services, what is your competitive advantage? What makes your organization stand out from the competition? Sustainable competitive advantage may no longer arise exclusively from position and scale. Here is where adaptation enters the equation. Instead of being really good at doing one particular thing, companies must be really good at pivoting, becoming more flexible and learning how to do new things to support their clients.Those that thrive and secure opportunities are quick to read and act on signals. Adaptability is the defining characteristic and difference for Amie Seisay and her company. Amie Seisay is a Trainer, Speaker and the Owner of Seisay IT Solutions.We learn about how Seisay IT Solutions supports their clients by fostering a culture of learning and leveraging Microsoft technologies. We also ask her about how leaders can support women in tech and about her thoughts for those looking to become entrepreneurs. Be adaptable, have a business plan and never forget the administrative side of the business. We also ask her about her experience with speaking and this ties into Nike’s slogan of ‘Just Do It’To learn more about Amie and Seisay IT Solutions, visit seisayitsolutions.com

How do you look at challenges? Do you welcome challenges? Do you love finding solutions to complex problems? Entrepreneur Joseph Weaver shares why being resilient and having a mindset that is focused on growth can lead to incredible results. Joseph is the CEO of Global Design Interactive, a full-service digital marketing and communications firm specializing in creative problem solving, located in Baltimore, Maryland. Their 3 core competencies include Brand Development, E-learning, and Technology platforms.Joseph puts out the challenge to change your perspective by taking a different look at failure. He believes that to be successful, failure may be the only option. He also is a believer in having a growth mindset, and that it does matter how you talk to yourself as every “mountain top has two valleys”. His organization leveraged the challenge of the health pandemic to create virtual conferences for many of his clients. His advice also included being able to wake up with excitement and to keep evolving. He said that if you “can solve problems, you can always make money”. He also participated in the Microsoft BPGI - Black Partner Growth Initiative Innovation Tour stop in Atlanta, GA and returned to Maryland with a desire to partner with and support the Black Channel Partner Alliance - BPCA. To learn more about Joseph and Global Design Interactive, visit gdiconnect.com/