The Future Of The Future

In this conversation with Jonathan Kash, a seasoned technology leader and upcoming author, we delve into the art of authentic leadership. Jonathan shares insights from his journey, revealing lessons learned from both fruitful and challenging leadership experiences. He emphasizes the importance of virtues like transparency and perseverance in fostering trust and teamwork. The discussion also covers building high-performance cultures, especially in remote settings, and the value of meaningful connections amidst the fast-paced tech environment.

Today’s episode is an inspiring journey into the world of creativity, adaptability, and what it means to thrive as a modern polymath in technology. Joining me is the multi-talented Sam Hopkins—a true generalist who has made waves in tech, language preservation, music, and even as a trivia champion on Jeopardy. Sam’s unique career path blends disciplines like sociology, philosophy, and music, demonstrating the incredible power of interdisciplinary thinking in solving complex problems and fostering innovation.In this episode, we’ll explore how Sam’s ADHD has driven his diverse learning journey, how his love for connection and creativity shapes his work, and why being a generalist is a superpower in today’s fast-evolving tech landscape. From the lessons he’s learned as a DJ and language learner to his thoughts on ethics in tech and advice for aspiring generalists, Sam’s story is a testament to the power of curiosity and versatility.So, tune in as we uncover the fascinating intersections of technology, humanity, and creativity with Sam Hopkins!

Jennifer Larson, a seasoned tech executive with over 20 years of experience, shares her insightful journey through the challenges and victories of women in technology. She discusses the critical necessity of diversity and education, emphasizing the role of empathy and mentorship in fostering inclusive workplaces. Larson highlights the need for open dialogue about professional advancement and shares her personal experiences tackling biases. Plus, she gives a sneak peek into her new coffee venture, blending her passion for community and growth.

Jared Olhoft, a technology executive with over 20 years of experience, shares his insights on the crucial concept of psychological safety in high-performing teams. He discusses why this aspect is essential for effective leadership and how it fosters collaboration in tech environments. Olhoft delves into practical strategies for building a supportive culture, drawing from findings like Google's Project Aristotle. He also highlights the journey of developing leadership skills from military training to emotional intelligence, emphasizing the need for balance in technical and interpersonal abilities.

In today’s episode, we’re diving into the transformative role of data and AI in modern business with none other than Mike Burke—a seasoned tech leader whose insights on data culture and innovation are reshaping how companies operate in a digital age. Mike brings a wealth of experience in data-driven strategy and leadership, making him the perfect guest to explore the ever-evolving landscape of technology.We’ll unpack the essentials of building a strong data culture, examine the role of data-driven decision-making in organizational growth, and discuss the critical skills leaders need to navigate the rapid pace of tech advancements. Mike will also share his vision on where AI and big data are heading, along with some of the emerging tools and trends he believes will define the future.Whether you’re a tech enthusiast, business leader, or just curious about the future, this conversation is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.Enjoy!

I spent 10 years of my life leading Procurement and Vendor Management teams.I loved the job. You get to learn something new every day. If you lead procurement for a large organization, you are dealing with various different needs and therefore industries and suppliers. From real estate to office supplies, from SaaS to Staff Augmentation, from Cloud Hosting to Cyber Security, from Translation Services to Event Planning… you name it.The biggest challenge for any procurement organization? to really understand the need of your internal stakeholder, and therefore product or service that best suits such need.Easier said than done. Procurement teams are typically understaffed and overworked and need to jump from one deal to the next in lightspeed context switching. And you are dealing with suppliers and vendors that sell the same thing over and over and over, so you are under-trained compared to vendors and sometimes you don’t even know what questions matter most to decide what solution to choose.Enter Teem, an AI-powered supplier sourcing platform for procurement teams, that automates supplier research, RFXs, and consolidation insights for technology sourcing and procurement teams. An esteemed friend and colleague from the Procurement world introduced me to Ben Mappen, CEO and Cofounder of Teem, and I am glad he made the connection. Prior to Teem, Ben cofounded Armory, a DevOps platform that raised over $80M in VC funding and exited last year. Ben has led and scaled Sales, Customer Success, and Product teams to drive growth and innovation.So this became a conversation around the future of work for Procurement teams, but also about Ben’s past and future as an entrepreneur and startup founder.Many lessons here about these topics.Enjoy!

The world of product management in technology companies is fascinating.A product leader is arguably the most strategic role at a tech company.What are we building and why? Where are we going? What does our roadmap look like?Product Leaders need to tune in to the business they support, the customers they serve, the market and industry they are in, and the trends shaping its future.And then they need to orchestrate various moving pieces to deliver value, in time, to real customers, paying customers.Today, we are going to dive deep into the world of Andrew (Drew) Mechkoff-Nolte, Chief Product Officer at ThirdHome, and the specific market he caters for: a Luxury Brand market.How do things work with these types of affluent customers? What are the do's and don'ts in the world of luxury?Are you as intrigued as I am?Enjoy!

Today, we’re talking about AI—a field surrounded by a lot of hype.While AI promises to revolutionize industries, the truth is many projects fail to deliver real results.That's why it’s so important to focus on initiatives that can actually make an impact.But, how do you do that? How do you choose the right projects? How does AI fit into them? How do you measure success?To answer these questions, and many more, I will interview John Sukup, Founder of Expected X and an expert in driving AI-powered success.In this episode, we’ll explore how John navigates beyond the hype to create meaningful AI solutions that deliver results. We'll dive into his journey, the challenges he’s faced, and what it takes to make AI work in the real world.If you want to understand how AI can be leveraged for real change, you won't want to miss this conversation.

Do you have a strong network?Would you say you are part of a community? Do you feel a sense of belonging?When was the last time you tried to enter into, or build, a new community?Was it hard? Or is this something that comes easy to you?In my own personal experience, getting into, or building a new community, is not easy. And sometimes, business can make it harder, or, more interesting.That's our topic for today. With an interesting twist. Building a community across borders. Yes... building a community in a foreign country, with a foreign language, and foreign customs and cultural codes.You don't want to miss this one! Our guest, Joe Teo, builds communities for a living. He is an immigrant himself, so he knows a thing or two about adapting to new environments. Let's hear more about his story!

I've been doing business development for over 5 years now.You know what my biggest fear is? An empty calendar.The absence of meetings.Every person in sales knows this. You need meetings. You need people in front of you. Then you can work your magic.Getting those meetings? Not that easy.Enter the SALES DEVELOPMENT REPRESENTATIVE, the SDR. Their only job is to prospect clients, generate leads, and take them to meetings.It's a hard business to be in I tell you. But the best SDRs? Oh they have FUN. Every new day is an opportunity to uncover new opportunities.How do you assemble a team of great SDRs? How do you get the best of them?Those are some of the questions I will ask today, to my amazing guest, Gabe Lullo... an experienced leader in the space, who, let me just tell you a few numbers... has trained over 8,000 salespeople across diverse businesses and, during his tenure in Alleyoop, he has personally hired and managed more than 1,500 SDRs...Enjoy!